Science Night

The Council’s annual Science Night event brings together staff, volunteers, industry and agency partners, and the public for an evening of science, food, and good company. Each year scientists and practitioners share updates on the latest research relevant to the Council’s region and mission. Topics range from wildlife research, invasive species, effects of crude oil on the environment of Prince William Sound, and much more. Speaker and topic suggestions are always welcome!

Join us for this relaxed and educational event in person in Anchorage or virtually. Presentations are streamed online via Zoom.

Science Night 2025 – Echoes from the Spill: Science that Shaped a Region

Please join us on the evening of Thursday, December 4, when we will explore the past, present, and future of science in the Exxon Valdez oil spill region with speakers Jeff Short, Beks Rumley, and Gary Shigenaka.

Presentations

The Scientific Legacy of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

  • Speaker: Jeffrey W. Short, PhD, JWS Consulting LLC
  • The Exxon Valdez was the first intensively-studied oil spill in history. Damage assessment studies discovered far more environmental damage than expected. Dr. Short will discuss the unique scientific opportunity and studies prompted by the spill followed by a brief comparison with science conducted after the Deepwater Horizon.

Coastal Resilience through Tribal Stewardship: Science, Sovereignty and Community Voice

  • Speaker: Beks Rumley, Climate Change Coordinator, Chugach Regional Resources Commission
  • This presentation shares how tribally led consortium Chugach Regional Resources Commission (CRRC) integrates traditional knowledge with western science to address climate change impacts across the Chugach region. We will cover CRRC’s work with ocean monitoring, subsistence species research, tribal conservation efforts, and adaptation planning. The biggest takeaway? Resilience grows when communities lead the research that affects them.

Exxon Valdez: A Look Back and Some Thoughts about the Path Ahead

  • Speaker: Gary Shigenaka, Biologist (Retired!)/Emeritus Scientist, NOAA/Emergency Response Division
  • The Exxon Valdez led to important scientific and institutional changes that continue to shape the spill response community today. This talk will explore the early science after the spill and the creation of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 as a lens to examine what has happened since, present status, and an outlook for the future.

Three ways to join Science Night

  • In Anchorage: For in-person attendees, doors to the Imagine Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Anchorage will open at 4:30 p.m., there will be plentiful hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Space is limited, you must RSVP to Jaina Willahan
  • Virtual Attendees: This event will be available via Zoom videoconference (link available before the event) or teleconference.
  • Community Watch Parties: Last year’s successful watch parties are happening again this year!

For additional details, or if you or your organization would like to partner with the Council to stream presentations in your community, please contact Maia Draper-Reich.

If you would like to join the email list for this annual event, including information on how to virtually attend, please contact Jaina Willahan.

Previous Science Night Events

This event is held every year in late November or early December. In recent years, we’ve been posting videos of the presentations on our Youtube channel. Check them out:

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