• Agenda (PDF 1.9M)

The Alaska Oil Spill Technology Symposium will bring together subject matter experts, regulators, emergency responders, and energy producers. Organizations such as the University of Alaska, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs), and industry will participate in this two day event. Bringing these entities together will enable information sharing and collaboration to develop practical solutions that help prevent oil spills and mitigate environmental damage when they occur. Primary goals will be to gain a better understanding of roles, responsibilities, expectations, and emerging technologies to be used during a large response event. The symposium will inform State and Federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) & responders about the newest tools and research available, so they can better manage oil spills. Both OSCs and responders will learn about the capabilities and limitations of these emerging resources and streamline response decisions. Presentation topics will include: an overview of the incident command system; current and projected research programs; technological capabilities and limitations; challenges during typical response events, and future research needs.

The symposium has the added benefit of closing the gap between agencies and academia while enhancing resource protection. The University benefits by learning about existing agency programs and current knowledge gaps, which facilitates focused grant proposals that address current and future needs. Industry and agencies will both benefit from the information and connections that will be made and from promoting research that addresses their needs. Graduate students will be better prepared to tackle the challenges of oil spill preparedness and response in Alaska after graduation.

The Alaska Oil Spill Technology Symposium will be a two day event, featuring presentations from graduate students and research faculty on March 6th and presentations from agencies, OSROs, and industry on March 7th. An interactive conversation about current weaknesses and future research needs will conclude the event at the Birch Hill Cross Country Ski Center on the afternoon of March 7th. Students are encouraged to hang their posters by noon on Thursday for general viewing. The actual poster session will be on Friday afternoon from 11:30-1:30pm.

Contact Ashley Adamczak (907) 451-2124 for more information.