Biologists Honored for Rapid-Response Investigations of the Impacts of Future Sea-Ice Change on Polar Bears


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Biologists Honored for Rapid-Response Investigations of the Impacts of Future Sea-Ice Change on Polar Bears

Jan. / Feb. 2008

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June Thormodsgard, Anne Kinsinger, and Frank Shipley

Above: June Thormodsgard (center), Acting Alaska Area Regional Executive, accepts award from Western Regional Director Anne Kinsinger on behalf of biologists honored for rapid-response scientific investigations of the impacts of sea-ice change on polar-bear populations. Frank Shipley is at the podium. Photograph by Mike Diggles. [larger version]

A group of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologists won two awards for conducting rapid-response scientific investigations of the impacts of future sea-ice changes on polar-bear populations: the U.S. Department of the Interior Unit Award for Excellence of Service and the USGS Western Region Director's Award. The recipients are:

Steven C. Amstrup, research wildlife biologist at the Alaska Science Center in Anchorage, Alaska
David C. Douglas, research wildlife biologist at the Alaska Science Center
George M. Durner, research zoologist at the Alaska Science Center
Michael C. Runge, research ecologist at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland
Eric V. Regehr, wildlife biologist at the Alaska Science Center
Leslie E. Holland-Bartels, center director, Alaska Science Center

Both awards were celebrated at the annual USGS Western Region Awards Ceremony in Menlo Park, California, on November 14, 2007, where Frank Shipley, Acting Deputy Western Regional Director, described the scientists' remarkable accomplishment in the following summary of the USGS award citation:

"In January 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. To ensure that the best information was available to inform the final listing decision, due in January 2008, Secretary Kempthorne asked the U.S. Geological Survey to generate new scientific data, models, and interpretations of polar bears and their sea-ice habitats to be available to the decision makers. A team of researchers from the Alaska Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, researchers from Canada, academia, the private sector, and other Federal agencies were asked to develop population projections, evaluate sea-ice projections for the future, and model likely polar-bear-population responses to changes in sea ice. The rapid-response work that followed was presented in nine administrative reports in September, as well as numerous briefings to the Department, a number of Congressional Committees, and numerous interviews with TV, radio, and print journalists. The work by this team of scientists led by Steve Amstrup, Dave Douglas, George Durner, Michael Runge, Eric Regehr, and Leslie Holland-Bartels is a great example of cutting-edge science that goes above and beyond to serve the needs of the Department, Congress, and the American public. This work is a great example of bringing disciplines together to create new knowledge. In recognition and appreciation of the work done by their teams, the Western Region Director's Award for 2007 is given to Steve Amstrup, Dave Douglas, George Durner, Michael Runge, Eric Regehr, and Leslie Holland-Bartels for their vision and leadership in framing and conducting the science that went into providing the information to decision makers on the impacts of future sea-ice changes on polar-bear populations."