Field Training in Nome, Part 2 — Exchange Event with the Nome Community Held Aboard the Oshoro-Maru

On July 10 (Alaska time), Hokkaido University hosted a community exchange event aboard its training and research vessel Oshoro-Maru during the ship’s port call in Nome, Alaska. A total of 15 local participants attended the event, representing Indigenous organizations, local government, fisheries and environmental organizations, educational institutions, and the local media.

The event began with participants being divided into small groups for guided tours of the vessel. Researchers, students, and crew members introduced the ship’s laboratories, scientific equipment, and wheel house, explaining the oceanographic observations and Arctic research being conducted aboard the Oshoro-Maru. During the ship tour, participants from Nome asked numerous technical questions about the observation methods, scientific instruments, and data collected during the voyage, reflecting their strong interest and expertise in Arctic marine research.

Following the tour, Captain Keiichiro Sakaoka of the Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, welcomed the participants. Associate Professor Kohei Matsuno, Chief Scientist of the voyage from the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, then introduced the Arctic Challenge for Sustainability (ArCS III) project and gave an overview of the scientific observations and research being carried out in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, including studies of plankton, fish, seabirds, marine mammals, and microplastics.

During the discussion session, students and local participants engaged in lively conversations on a wide range of topics, including daily life in Nome, the relationship between Indigenous knowledge and scientific research, fisheries and marine mammals, food security, balancing resource development with environmental conservation, and the impacts of climate change on Arctic communities. For the students, the exchange provided a valuable opportunity to learn directly from local residents about the challenges facing Arctic communities and to deepen their understanding of the close relationship between the natural environment and people’s lives.

This was the first time that the Oshoro-Maru had invited members of the Nome community aboard during a port call. Following the event, Professor Gay Sheffield, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, who provided invaluable assistance in organizing the exchange, shared a warm message, saying that everyone from Nome greatly enjoyed the ship tour and the introduction to the research activities, and that they were already looking forward to the vessel’s next visit. By bringing together researchers, students, and local residents, the event strengthened connections between scientific research and the local community and provided a valuable opportunity to foster future collaboration between Hokkaido University and the Nome community.

The community exchange event was also covered by KNOM Radio, Nome’s local public radio station and “The Nome Nugget”, the local newspaper. The news reports on the event are available at the following links:

KNOM Radio: “Why this Japanese Research Vessel Came Back to Nome”

The Nome Nugget: “Japanese researchers welcome Nomeites aboard Oshoro Maru”