ICASS Nuuk Greenland Early Career Scientist Workshop Summary
The challenges and opportunities of polar early career scientists
August 25 & 26, 2008
The Early Career Scientist Workshop, co-organized by the
Northern Research Forum (NRF) and APECS, at the International Congress
of Arctic Social Scientists in Nuuk, Greenland took place August 25 and
26, 2008. It addressed the key challenges and opportunities APECS
members face, and
showed a way forward for organizations like APECS to improve polar
science and enable polar researchers to reach their goals. The
wonderful diversity in early careers scientists, from experience to
skills to projects, presents a challenge for organizations to meet
their varied needs. Improved funding, communication, mentorship, and
networks were all identified as key parts of a strategy to help polar
early career scientists succeed.
Communication was identified as an important focus for early career
scientists. Technologies such as social networking websites,
voice-over-IP, and list serves are key tools to bringing scientists
together from across distances and disciplines. The need for effective
communication extended to data sharing and management, with the advice
that data should be considered very broadly and all types –
quantitative, qualitative and informational – should be considered and
shared. Furthermore, data sharing for regional interests and
information, such as fieldwork logistics, would be valuable to many
scientists.
The role of early career scientists in the larger arenas of community
and policy was also discussed. Connections with the IPY program as well
as outreach activities and non-academic careers are all valuable parts
of the contribution of early career scientists. Workshops like this
joint NRF/APECS one at ICASS are valuable forums for identifying the
challenges
to early career scientists and shaping the responses of organizations
like APECS to speed the success of our work and people.
Featured Member
Natalia Goryunova
P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russia APECS Russia
APECS is a unique organization. It unites young scientists all over the World and gives them opportunity to communicate with well-known scientists. It is very important because getting such opportunity now is not very easy. Communication and fruitful collaboration can make magic.
I want to be inside, to be aware of the events happening in the World. Especially if we are talking about the future of our Earth, and about the Arctic.
The main strength of APECS is people: its Director, President, and members of the Council. I don`t want to be indifferent to solving such important problems. We should be strong to make APECS stronger and I am ready for it!
The role of young researches is great: young scientists see more â their eyes are opened they have the whole understanding of the World, they are not focused on something and have plenty ideas, they are very mobile.
It is very hard to say, how is it possible to make APECS better â I have participated in the meeting held in July in Saint Petersburg. I was really delighted with it: extremely interesting presentations and very useful.
I am writing my PhD now and I have to gather data in Arctic. This winter I was on board of Canadian RV âAmundsenâ for 6 weeks, now I am going to participate in NABOS cruise (1 month), I have plenty of field work during the summer, I passed through all the exams with the highest marks, but I have to pass through English exam, now I am preparing for it.
Why do I study Arctic? I was born with this idea. I feel responsibility for our planet for the things happening on it, especially then we are talking about fragile polar equilibrium.
