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January 2011 www.sname.org/sname/mt After nearly 30 years of planning and development, the research vessel Sikuliaq ?an Alaskan native word meaning young sea ice,? pronounced see-KOO-lee-auk?will soon be plying the remote and icy waters of Alaska. e vessel is a testament to the fore- sight of the research communitys work to increase access to and understanding of these relatively unexplored and critically important waters. This increased under- standing will provide perspective on the complex economic and political issues of these arctic regions. Increasingly, a wide range of global issues, ranging from oil and gas exploration and sheries management to climate change and territorial disputes, rely on having dedicated, ongoing scientic access to the arctic and subarctic waters of the Alaska region. By extending the reach of United States scientic exploration into these vast areas, the Sikuliaq will build on the foundation established by the research vessel Alpha Helix , which was operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), as part of the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) with fund- ing from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Alpha Helix provided initial, ded- icated science access to Alaska regional waters from 1978 through its retirement in BY JAY EDGAR VESSEL REPORT: ALASKA REGION RESEARCH VESSEL VESSEL REPORT