Phase 1
Before the Expedition
Educators receive preparation information, packing guidance, expectations, logistics, safety information, and professional learning preparation.
Flagship Discovery Expedition
2027 Utqiaġvik Arctic Educator Expedition
Experience Arctic science where it is happening.
In July 2027, Odyssey Discovery will bring a small cohort of educators to Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska for a 10-day field-based professional learning expedition.
Educators will experience the Arctic environment firsthand and, where schedules and field conditions allow, learn alongside scientists, researchers, conservation professionals, and others working to understand this extraordinary region.
July 2027 · Exact dates to be announced · Utqiaġvik, Alaska · 10 Days · Maximum 10 Educators
The core idea
The best way to teach discovery is to experience it.
Over ten days, educators experience place, science, field research, uncertainty, observation, discovery, and scientific problem-solving — before bringing those experiences back to their students.
Not a vacation. Not a sightseeing tour. Not a conference ballroom. A small-cohort field science expedition in an Arctic community where the research is actually happening.
The setting
Why Utqiaġvik?
Utqiaġvik isn't simply somewhere we travel to. It is part of what we are there to understand.
- — An Iñupiat community on Alaska's Arctic coast
- — A northern Arctic community, not a research station and not empty wilderness
- — An important location for Arctic scientific research
- — A place where environmental change, wildlife, climate, ocean, permafrost, and other Arctic systems can be studied firsthand
The expedition is designed around the intersection of place, people, science, observation, and discovery.
Why field science
You can't understand the Arctic from a textbook alone.
Climate change, sea ice, wildlife, permafrost, coastal systems, Arctic ecosystems, scientific research, environmental change — all of it can be studied from a classroom. Being present in the environment creates a different kind of understanding.
Field science doesn't follow a script.
- Weather changes.
- Research priorities change.
- Scientists adapt.
- Wildlife doesn't follow an itinerary.
- That's part of the science.
- This is one of the reasons the expedition is intentionally flexible.
Positioning
This isn't a teacher tour.
The experience is not primarily about sightseeing. It is designed around scientific questions, field observation, researchers, evidence, environmental systems, professional learning, conversations, and firsthand experience.
The destination matters. But the questions matter more.
The experience
Ten days in Utqiaġvik.
The expedition is organized into phases rather than a fixed hour-by-hour itinerary.
Phase 2
Arrival & Orientation
Participants become oriented to Utqiaġvik, the environment, field conditions, and the purpose of the expedition.
Phase 3
Into the Field
Educators participate in curated experiences connected to Arctic science, research, conservation, environmental change, and other confirmed expedition themes.
Phase 4
With Researchers
Where available and confirmed, educators interact directly with working scientists and researchers.
Phase 5
Observation & Reflection
Participants consider what they are seeing, what questions emerge, and how the experience connects to their own students and teaching.
Phase 6
Bringing the Arctic Home
Educators return with firsthand experiences, scientific context, stories, and ideas they can bring back to their classrooms.
Potential science themes
The systems educators may encounter.
Arctic Climate
Sea Ice & Ocean Systems
Permafrost & Tundra
Wildlife & Ecology
Coastal Change
Conservation
Field Research
Environmental Change
Scientific Observation
Expedition experiences are shaped by current research, scientist availability, weather, transportation, community considerations, and field conditions. Not every participant will experience every topic.
Field conditions
The field doesn't follow a script.
- — Weather can change
- — Flights can change
- — Transportation can change
- — Scientists may be unavailable because of field work
- — Wildlife is unpredictable
- — Research schedules change
- — Field opportunities may change
The expedition has a planned framework, but the actual experience remains responsive to the conditions and science of the moment. This is not a weakness — it is what working in the field actually looks like.
The cohort
Only 10 educators.
The cohort is intentionally limited to ten educators. That limit is what makes the experience possible:
- — Meaningful scientist interaction
- — An intimate group experience
- — Easier adaptation to field conditions
- — Stronger professional relationships
- — More thoughtful discussion
- — Better field logistics
- — A more curated experience
Who it's for
For educators who want to go deeper.
You do not need to be an Arctic expert. You need curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn in the field.
- — Science teachers
- — Environmental educators
- — STEM educators
- — Conservation educators
- — Outdoor educators
- — College science educators
- — Informal science educators
- — Educators interested in climate and sustainability
What educators take home
The expedition doesn't end when you leave Utqiaġvik.
Firsthand scientific experiences
Field stories
Scientific context
Understanding of current research
Connections to researchers
Classroom ideas
Examples students can relate to
Deeper understanding of Arctic systems
Professional connections with other educators
Experience → Understanding → Story → Classroom → Student
Professional learning
Professional learning that happens in the field.
This is not a lecture-based PD conference. The learning happens through observation, conversation, field experience, scientific inquiry, reflection, interaction with researchers, and connecting firsthand experience to classroom practice.
Continuing-education or graduate credit is not currently offered or claimed for this expedition.
2027 details
The essentials.
- Destination
- Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska
- Timing
- July 2027 · exact dates to be announced
- Length
- Approximately 10 days
- Maximum cohort
- 10 educators
- Format
- Field-based professional learning expedition
- Target investment
- $12,975 per educator
What's included
- — Expedition programming and professional learning design
- — Curated field experiences
- — Expedition coordination and on-the-ground logistics
- — Lodging in Utqiaġvik
- — Ground transportation within Utqiaġvik
Final inclusions are confirmed in writing before enrollment.
What's not included
- — Airfare to and from Utqiaġvik
- — Meals
- — Travel insurance
- — Personal expenses and personal gear
The investment
This is a field expedition, not a travel package.
The investment reflects what it takes to run a credible Arctic field experience for ten educators:
- — Remote Arctic logistics
- — Limited group size
- — Lodging
- — Transportation
- — Expedition planning
- — Scientist and research relationships
- — Field coordination
- — Professional learning design
- — Contingency planning
- — The time required to curate the experience
What you are investing in is access, experience, learning, and curation.
Odyssey Discovery Educator Fellowship™
Don't let the right educator stay home because of the budget.
The Odyssey Discovery Educator Fellowship is being developed to help educators participate when their schools or districts cannot fully fund the expedition. Fellowship support is not guaranteed, and the Fellowship is a program administered by Odyssey Discovery.
Sponsor → Educator → Field Experience → Classroom → Students
For sponsors
Help put educators where discovery is happening.
We invite mission-aligned companies and organizations to support educator participation in the 2027 expedition. Sponsorship structure and recognition details are still being finalized, and sponsorship is not a charitable tax-deductible donation.
Outdoor brands
Science organizations
Environmental organizations
Conservation companies
Technology companies
Education companies
Alaska businesses
Travel and outdoor companies
STEM and climate education funders
Safety & responsibility
Working in the Arctic requires preparation.
Pre-expedition preparation
Participants receive preparation materials covering the environment, field conditions, and what to expect before departure.
Participant expectations
Educators are expected to follow field guidance, respect community norms, and participate as members of a small cohort.
Field safety
Field activities follow the safety guidance of the expedition team and any host researchers or partners on site.
Transportation
Travel within Utqiaġvik is coordinated by the expedition. Arctic transportation can be affected by weather and availability.
Emergency procedures
Emergency contact and response procedures are shared with participants before the expedition begins.
Weather considerations
Arctic weather can change quickly, and activities may be modified or rescheduled for participant safety.
Clothing & equipment
A required and recommended clothing and equipment list is provided in advance; appropriate gear is the participant's responsibility.
Participant requirements
Participants should be able to spend extended time outdoors in cold, wind, and uneven terrain.
Field expeditions carry inherent risk. Odyssey Discovery plans carefully and prioritizes participant safety, but cannot guarantee conditions, access, or outcomes.
Who leads it
Kirsten Alburg
Founder & Director, Odyssey Discovery
Odyssey Discovery was founded by Kirsten Alburg, an educator and instructional designer with nearly three decades of experience creating learning experiences in remote and challenging environments.
She taught for 20 years across Alaska — including six years in the Arctic — and worked as an education specialist for a college in the Arctic. That experience shapes how this expedition is designed: realistic about logistics, respectful of the community, and built around what educators actually need to bring the field home.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Why Utqiaġvik?
Utqiaġvik is an Iñupiat community on Alaska's Arctic coast and a significant location for Arctic scientific research. It is a place where climate, sea ice, ocean, wildlife, permafrost, and coastal systems can be studied firsthand. It isn't simply somewhere we travel to — it is part of what we are there to understand.
Why July?
July offers the most workable window for Arctic field access, extended daylight, and active summer research season conditions on the North Slope.
Why is the expedition 10 days?
Ten days allows time for orientation, multiple field experiences, flexibility around weather and research schedules, and genuine reflection — rather than a rushed visit.
How many educators participate?
A maximum of 10 educators. The cohort size is limited by design, not by marketing.
Do I need Arctic experience?
No. You need curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn in the field.
Is airfare included?
No. Airfare to and from Utqiaġvik is not included.
Are meals included?
No. Meals are not included in the expedition investment.
What happens if weather disrupts the itinerary?
The expedition has a planned framework and remains responsive to conditions. When weather, flights, or field access change, the schedule adapts. That responsiveness is part of authentic field science.
Are specific scientists guaranteed?
No. We do not guarantee that any specific scientist, researcher, or research project will be part of the expedition.
What if a scientist's field schedule changes?
Researchers work in the field, and their schedules shift. When that happens, we adjust the program around other confirmed experiences and expedition themes.
Is this traditional professional development?
No. This is not a lecture-based conference. Learning happens through observation, conversation, field experience, scientific inquiry, and reflection.
Can my school pay for the expedition?
Yes. Many educators pursue school, district, grant, or partnership funding. We can provide information to support those conversations.
Are fellowship scholarships available?
The Odyssey Discovery Educator Fellowship is being developed to help educators participate when their schools or districts cannot fully fund the expedition. Fellowship support is not guaranteed.
Can a company sponsor an educator?
Yes — mission-aligned companies and organizations can support educator participation. Sponsorship structure and recognition details are still being finalized.
What happens after the expedition?
Educators return with firsthand experience, scientific context, field stories, classroom ideas, and professional connections with the rest of the cohort.
Do I need to be a science teacher?
No. Science, STEM, environmental, conservation, outdoor, college, and informal science educators are all a good fit.
Go where the science is happening.
Spend 10 days in Utqiaġvik.
Learn from people doing the work.
Experience the Arctic firsthand.
Bring the field back to your students.
July 2027 · Utqiaġvik, Alaska · Maximum 10 educators · Target investment: $12,975