Encompassing nearly a quarter of the Arctic, Canada is a leading contributor to the fourth International Polar Year (IPY), an ambitious program of scientific research on the Arctic and Antarctic involving more than 60 countries.

The magnitude of Canada’s IPY effort is as sweeping as the Arctic itself: 1,750 researchers working on 52 projects, from the Yukon to northern Labrador. Their main focus is climate change impacts and adaptation and the health and well-being of Northerners, two of the most pressing issues in the Canadian Arctic.

Conducting research in the North is challenging: scientists contend with extreme weather, physical, arduous work and basic living conditions, not to mention the complex logistics and expense of reaching remote locations. It’s all in the name of fostering a more complete understanding of the Arctic — the lasting legacy of IPY.