ISAAFFIK Arctic Gateway version 4 (https://www.isaaffik.org/ ) is now implemented and ready for you to use.

This new version introduces a new website design as well as a large number of new functionalities and user options, not least “behind the scenes”, that is the areas all registered members have access to.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SHARING AND OVERVIEW ...

ISAAFFIK is a user driven web platform, and the new version 4 includes several, new possibilities to share important knowledge and information, including options to:

• Register, announce, and update your upcoming, ongoing, or finished Arctic projects.
• Write and publicize your own News articles or notices about your Arctic research achievements, activities, or other subjects relevant to the Arctic research community and public in general
• Announce upcoming Events, which might be of interest to other people to join.
• Make suggestions for joint Logistics or Travels in order to reduce your own project expenses getting to remote places in the Arctic.
• Apply for logistics support from the Joint Arctic Command.
• Chat on an ISAAFFIK Facebook group
• Share pictures and content in Instagram and Twitter.

New personal Profile pages, including a page, named “View my associated content”, with a list of your latest entries, which makes it very easy for you to find website content, which you have created in the past, in order to update this, if needed.

DATA-LINKS, A NEW ISAAFFIK INITIATIVE

The “Data-links” area is a brand new initiative from the ISAAFFIK team to improve knowledge sharing and collaboration. It’s intended for sharing references and links to ANY kind of new or not least old data information relevant for Arctic research community and fellow colleagues. This may include almost anything - anywhere, ranging from references to well-known large databases, sparsely known archives/records/libraries, private collections, or almost forgotten old dusty handwritten logbooks and diaries, which may be known only to yourself and well hidden somewhere in a remote vault. All you have to do is to make a short description of the “data”, and where to find it and / or whom to contact.

Projects and Fieldwork

The “Project/Fieldwork” area of ISAAFFIK introduces a huge range of new functionalities and options for registered members, such as:

• Selectable categories of projects, such as Projects with physical Fieldwork, and Projects without physical Fieldwork (e.g. modelling). This aims to ensure, that you only have to fill in information, which is relevant to your specific Project profile.
• Option to create an ongoing Project, e.g. a monitoring program, which may include one or several different Fieldworks taking place at the same or different periods and/or locations. You may update this, and add new Fieldworks year after year, rather than to start all over again.
• Option to save a draft of your Project description, in case you are interrupted, when creating this, or has to rush of for another appointment. To resume just go into your “View my associated content” page and find the Project description you were not able to finish.
• Option to clone (copy) an existing project. This will save you from re-entering existing information, if you want to create a new, almost similar project.
• Option to download CSV (Comma Separated Values) file containing Project search results.
• Option for you to decide your own Project cover photo - and to upload as many other projects photos as you like.
• Depending of your Project categorizations, the individual project page will also automatically display lists of other projects in the same geographical) region, and other projects working with the same theme.
• (Greenland projects only). After request by the Greenland Search & Rescue (SAR) authorities projects taking place in Greenland are encouraged to register information about Search & Rescue (SAR) assets. These assets are certain kind of Skills and Equipment, which your project brings into remote field regions, e.g. medical doctors, persons with special Arctic training or equipment like helicopters, ships, Such SAR assets may have lifesaving importance in a SAR event, happening in a remote location, for all expeditions – including your own! The information you enter about your SAR assets are not public available. They will be visible only to the official Greenland SAR authorities: The Greenland Police and the Joint Arctic Command.
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PROJECT DATA FROM OUTSIDE ISAAFFIK

A new important step forward in creating an even more complete picture in ISAAFFIK of what is going on in the Arctic, not least in Greenland, has been taken after agreement and close collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and with the ARMAP (Arctic Research Mapping Application) team. As a result, ISAAFFIK now also includes information about relevant NSF funded projects. Similar imports from other external sources are planned to follow in the future. N.B: The import to ISAAFFIK has already stated, but will go on for some time, as all imports have to be validated for relevance before released into ISAAFFIK.

SPREAD THE WORD AND HELP US TO MAKE ISAAFFIK EVEN BETTER

ISAAFFIK is a user driven web platform. It depends entirely on your personal contribution and commitment to share your knowledge with both fellow colleagues and the society in general. So please spread the word, and encourage your colleagues to register and share their knowledge at www.isaaffik.org - The Arctic Gateway. Together we can create an un-paralleled overview.

The team behind this new version has made a huge effort to make the website as user-friendly, informative, and flawless as possible. However, whether you encounter problems using ISAAFFIK, lack of information, have ideas for further improvements, or something else, please share it with us at info@isaaffik.org. Your contribution, comments and ideas are highly valued!

Kind regards and thanks.

ISAAFFIK team