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John Craighead "Craig" George

Craig George

Originally from New York, Craig George came to Alaska in the mid-1970s. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the Utah State University in 1976 and completed his Ph.D. in bowhead whale energetics, age estimation and morphology in 2001. In 1977, he worked as an animal caretaker at the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory's animal research facility in Barrow, Alaska. He eventually settled in Barrow and has worked as a a wildlife biologist with the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management for over 25 years. He specializes in studies of the bowhead whale and local fish, and works closely with Iñupiat hunters. Having lived in Barrow for so long and since 1982 having overseen the Borough's whale population census counts stationed on the sea ice, Craig has a deep understanding of the sea ice from both a local and scientific perspective. Craig is a keen observer of the local environment and keeps detailed records of weather and ice conditions. Craig has published extensively on his bowhead whale research results, helps visiting researchers, and frequently participates as a collaborating interviewer in traditional knowledge projects. Craig George passed away in July 2023 in a rafting accident on the Chulitna River in interior Alaska.
John Craighead "Craig" George appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Craig George, Part 1

Craig George was interviewed on June 4, 2017 by Karen Brewster at his home in Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). In this first part of a two part interview, Craig talks about how he got involved with bowhead whale research, establishing whale census camps on the ice, and learning about whales and ice conditions from local Iñupiat experts. He also discusses some of what he has learned about sea ice conditions, including effect of wind and current, the importance of camp location, changes in ice conditions during his years of working out there, effect of rough ice on trail building, and the importance of ice safety and paying attention.

 2013-25-43_PT.1 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska Jun 4, 2017
Craig George, Part 2

This is the continuation of an interview with Craig George on June 4, 2017 by Karen Brewster at his house in Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). In this second part of a two part interview, Craig talks about ice break-off events, the effect of snow cover on ice conditions, how the timing of freeze-up has changed, and the importance of observing the ice throughout the season. He also discusses specific ice types (sheared ice, slush ice, and ice cliffs formed by wave action), the effect of wind and tide on ice movement, and the changing ice conditions he has observed. Finally, he mentions how the collaboration between scientists and Iñupiat hunters can be a model for good natural resource management.

 2013-25-43_PT.2 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska Jun 4, 2017

As Interviewer

Interview Title Archive #: Oral History Project Abstract
Jacob Adams, Sr., Interview 1 2013-25-10 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska

Jacob Adams, Sr. was interviewed on July 11, 2008 by Matthew Druckenmiller in Barrow, Alaska. Craig George was another interviewer for part of the interview. This interview was part of Matthew's research for a Ph.D. in Snow, Ice and Permafrost Geophysics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. For his project, he mapped the trails built by whalers to their camps at the edge of the sea ice and talked with local residents about ice conditions, whale camps, and trail building. Results of his research can be found in his dissertation Alaska Shorefast Ice: Interfacing Geophysics With Local Sea Ice Knowledge and Use (2011). In this interview, Jacob talks about the ice conditions, trails, camp locations and whaling in Barrow during the 2008 spring season.
Richard Glenn, Part 1 2013-25-26_PT.1 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska

Richard Glenn was interviewed on February 23, 2016 by Karen Brewster and Craig George at his home in Barrow, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Richard talks about his knowledge of and experience with sea ice in the Barrow area. He discusses learning to hunt and survive on the ice, the importance of watching the wind and the current, how to be safe on the ice, stories about drifiting out on the ice, and applying what you have learned and making decisions about safety. He also describes the dynamic nature of the sea ice environment, and talks about changes in ice conditions and the timing of freeze-up and break-up.
Richard Glenn, Part 2 2013-25-26_PT.2 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska

This is the continuation of an interview with Richard Glenn on February 23, 2016 by Karen Brewster and Craig George at his home in Barrow, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Richard talks about the effect of wind and current on ice conditions, the importance of being alert to the environment and testing the ice in order to be safe on the ice. He also discusses adapting to climate change, the applicability of traditional knowledge, different types of ice, and the effect of ice movement on whaling camps.
Wesley Aiken, Part 1 2013-25-42_PT.1 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska

Wesley Uġiaqtaq Aiken was interviewed on June 3, 2017 by Karen Brewster and Craig George at his home in Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). In this first part of a two part interview, Wesley talks about learning to hunt and understand ice conditions. He discusses hunting seals, in particular how to set a net at their breathing holes on the ice. He also talks about changes in the thickness of the ice and how this has affected the development of pressure ridges. He tells some stories about people getting caught out on drifting ice, as well as shares his personal experience with getting caught in fast moving and piling ice and losing all his whaling equipment in 1957.
Wesley Aiken, Part 2 2013-25-42_PT.2 Sea Ice in Northern Alaska

This is the continuation of an interview with Wesley Uġiaqtaq Aiken on June 3, 2017 by Karen Brewster and Craig George at his home in Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). In this second part of a two part interview, Wesley continues to share his knowledge of and experiences on the shorefast ice near Barrow. He talks about various ice phenomena, including: pressure ridges (ivuniq), ice shearing (agiukpak), floating ice chunks (puktallak), ice add-on (iiguaq), and rotten ice (aunniq). He also discusses ice conditions during recent years of whaling, the importance of watching the current and checking for cracks, his personal experience with drifting out on the ice, and what young people today should know when traveling on the sea ice.