Supporting Our Community

Toolik Field Station management and staff are committed to building a community of respect at the station and fostering community safety, preparedness and wellbeing. We pledge:

  1. To foster a living and working environment at TFS that is free of discrimination, including harassment and violence.
  2. To widely share student internships, TUNDRA research award, and employment opportunities as part of an effort to recruit community members from an array of lived experiences and backgrounds, which we believe is critical to advancing excellent science.
  3. To provide educational materials for Toolik staff and station residents on community wellbeing, respect, and preparedness for living and working in a remote, Arctic environment.

Actions to Build Community Safety, Preparedness & Wellbeing at Toolik

To ease the financial burden of acquiring gear for the field, Toolik Field Station opened a community gear closet in 2023. All station residents can borrow field clothing and gear at no cost for as long as they need them during their stay at Toolik. The closet is located in the east end of the Science Workshop.

Gear inventory:
  • Rain jackets & pants (XS - XL)
  • Lightweight winter jackets (S - L)
  • Fleece jackets (S - L)
  • Field & hiking pants (M - XXL)
  • Field shirts (XS - XL)
  • Bugshirts & head nets (S-XL)
  • Fleece buffs
  • Gloves (M-XL)
  • Winter hats
  • Rubber boots (varied sizes)
  • Hip & chestwaders (varied sizes)
  • Wading boots (varied sizes)
  • Backpack
  • Framepacks
  • Sleeping bags
  • Tarps
  • Camping cookware
Thank you to Steering Committee student representatives, Ruby An and Brandon Yokeley, for leading the initiative and to the many community members and projects who have donated items to the closet. This closet was supported with a microgrant from the National Science Foundation .
2023
  • In 2023, our Maintenance Department renovated an old building into a reservable, private space that residents can use for prayer, meditation, telehealth appointments, and other activities to boost mental health & well-being.
2022
  • We updated our sauna operations to prohibit the use of alcohol on the sauna premises to reduce risk in a vulnerable space.
  • Beginning in 2022, we co-hosted virtual pre-field orientation sessions with the Arctic LTER Broadening Participation Committee. These provided an overview of what to expect during the field season at Toolik for those unfamiliar with the station.
  • We expanded our Code of Conduct to explicitly prohibit repeated microaggressions and updated the associated training to include more information on discrimination, wellbeing, the reporting process, and bystander intervention.
2021
  • In 2021, our Environmental Data Center established an Indigenous Authors book collection, featuring novels, nonfiction, and reference books written by Alaska Native and other Indigenous authors. The collection is located in the staff office in the Dining Hall and available for anyone to use.
  • We hired a communication manager to coordinate initiatives that build and support community at the station.
  • We created the Toolik Opportunities Board, where we and others can post open job and research positions.
  • We participated in the National Science Foundation URGE program.
2020
  • In 2020, we established our Tundra Award, a donation-based program that awards students and early-career researchers with up to 10 days at the station to conduct an independent research project. Learn more about the Tundra Award on