News

Science Rendezvous coming to Inuvik and Fort Smith Saturday May 13th 2023

May, 4 2023

The much-anticipated STEM community event, Science Rendezvous, is returning after a pause due to COVID-19! on Saturday, May 13th, we'll be back in full swing in both Inuvik and Fort Smith! In Inuvik, join us at the Midnight Sun Complex from 11AM to 3PM. We'll have engaging activities, demonstrations, and exhibits for all ages! Learn from experts, explore new technology, and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of STEM! In Fort Smith we are excited to host you at the Aurora College Thebacha Campus from 11AM to 2PM.

AuroraSat: Now Orbiting the Earth to Share Northern Culture, Thanks to ISS and a NanoRacks Deployment

May, 3 2023

We're "over the moon" to announce that after five years of dedication, the Aurora Research Institute (ARI) has successfully seen its AuroraSat nanosatellite launched into space last Monday on April 24, 2023, at 6:15 AM MT, thanks to the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer aboard the International Space Station (ISS)! Now in low Earth orbit alongside NEODOSE (McMaster University) and YukonSat (Yukon University), our nanosatellite will share the incredible artwork and stories from the Northwest Territories with the world for the next 12-18 months.

South Slave Research Center: Spring 2023 Update

April, 28 2023

The South Slave Research Center has released its Spring 2023 newsletter, which highlights several exciting updates from the region. The newsletter recognizes national awards for ARI STEM team, a new Outreach Coordinator Intern(Jarod), a community profile of Lorne Napier, a collaboration with the South Slave MakerSpace Project, and updates on land monitoring Zoom webinar with wildlife cameras and audio recorders. Additionally, the newsletter includes research updates on various projects underway at ARI. It's an informative read that provides a glimpse into the innovative work happening at the South Slave Research Center. Read the newsletter to learn more!

New research co-authored by Aurora Research Institute researcher highlights remobilization of legacy arsenic pollution from sediments in Yellowknife Bay

April, 25 2023

A recent study co-authored by Aurora Research Institute researcher, Mike Palmer, in the Journal of Hazardous Materials reveals that legacy arsenic pollution from historical mining activities in Yellowknife Bay is being remobilized from contaminated lake sediments, making them a primary source of dissolved arsenic in the bay's water. Despite this, water concentrations consistently remain below Health Canada's Drinking Water guidelines for arsenic, posing no immediate public health concerns. The research emphasizes the importance of considering lake sediments as a major arsenic source and incorporating this information into future environmental management and monitoring strategies.

Ethnobotany Garden Tours in Inuvik - Summer 2022

July, 20 2022

Come learn about the plants of the Mackenzie Delta: their traditional uses and adaptations for life in the Arctic. Tours of the Ethnobotany Garden in Inuvik are Wednesdays at 4:00 PM from July 20 to September 15, 2022.

Aurora College receives $475,000 NSERC PromoScience funding for outreach

May, 19 2022

Aurora College’s research division, the Aurora Research Institute (ARI), will be able to continue and expand its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) outreach programming to students, teachers and communities across the Northwest Territories thanks to a new $475,000 grant.

Aurora Research Institute hosting Northern Canada Food Initiatives map

March, 25 2022

The Aurora Research Institute (ARI) at Aurora College is the new host of the Northern Canada Food Initiatives map, an interactive map depicting food-related initiatives in the Far North.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Grant Writing Support for Northern Researchers

February, 17 2022

Applications are now open for tri-council grant writing workshops in March (Open to ALL NWT residents)

New Publication: Using river geochemistry to monitor the hydrology of Arctic watersheds

January, 17 2022

A new article has just been published online in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment

New publication: A new local meteoric water line for Inuvik (NT, Canada)

January, 12 2022

A new local meteoric water line for Inuvik (NT, Canada)

The paper presents a new local meteoric water line (LMWL) of stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in precipitation from Inuvik in the western Canadian Arctic. Data were obtained over 37 months between August 2015 and August 2018 resulting in 134 measurements of the isotopic composition of both types of precipitation, snow and rain.

Western Arctic Research Centre (Inuvik) Logistics Update