Welcome to the November 2022 NERC Arctic Office Bulletin. If you have an event that you would like us to promote here or via the NERC Arctic Office website, www.arctic.ac.uk, please let us know. We’re always glad to hear from you. If you haven’t received this Bulletin direct, you can sign up to our mailing list on the website’s home page. For all previous bulletins, please visit the Arctic Office bulletins page.
UK-Greenland Arctic Bursaries Scheme
A new BEIS-funded opportunity for United Kingdom-based researchers to apply for bursaries ranging from £5,000 to a maximum of £20,000 to support active participation in new joint partnerships with researchers based in Greenland in the 2023-24 season. Application deadline 20 January 2023. Match your idea with a Greenlandic partner through the networking and further information online event on 30 November. Event registration and application details: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/news/online-networking-event-united-kingdom-greenland-arctic-research-bursaries-scheme/
International Arctic Science Committee – Working Group representatives
The five IASC Working Groups – atmosphere, cryosphere, marine, social & human and terrestrial – are at the heart of the organisation’s work. They set research priorities, decide on funding and represent the community in wider discussions. Each member country is able to nominate two representatives to each Working Group. The UK is very fortunate in having had strong and active Working Group representatives. We are now looking for new expressions of interest in taking on this role for 2023 and beyond. Terms are usually four years, with an option to extend for an additional four years. Representatives will be expected to attend the annual Arctic Science Summit Weeks – in person or online – and to take an active role in the Working Group’s intersessional activities. Funding for registration and travel to ASSW is occasionally available but applicants should be prepared to meet their own participation costs. Expressions of interest (two pages max) plus CV to arctic@bas.ac.uk by 16 December. Please contact henry.burgess@bas.ac.uk for more details and any questions. Information on IASC Working Groups: https://iasc.info/our-work/working-groups
Polar Field Studies Course – NERC Arctic Station, April 2023
Here’s a unique chance for PhD students and Early Career Researchers to gain practical skills of working safely and effectively in the polar regions. Using leading polar experts, participants will learn how to translate exciting scientific ideas into safe, achievable and effective field plans. The course consists of approximately six days of theoretical and practical work at the NERC Arctic Research Station in Ny Ålesund, Svalbard. Likely to be two sets of courses from mid-April to early May. A fantastic opportunity with a proven track record of numerous previous attendees going on to polar research, including at the Station itself. Deadline for applications 22 November. https://www.bas.ac.uk/science/science-and-students/nerc-doctoral-training-opportunities/bas-advanced-training-short-course/
Project funding – International Arctic Science Committee
IASC has just released the annual call for applications to its cross-cutting and working group funds. This is a very good way to access meaningful funds for international planning and coordination, help with communication and access to facilities. Anyone based in the UK is eligible to apply – you don’t have to be a participant in existing IASC activities or groups. Deadline 18 December and you’ll find out the result by the end of February. The massive MOSAiC Arctic Ocean expedition started out through one of these grants – so they can lead on to big things. https://iasc.info/news/iasc-news/1066-call-for-iasc-cross-cutting-and-working-group-proposals-2023
New UKRI-Research Council of Norway collaboration agreement
UK Research and Innovation and Research Council of Norway (RCN) have signed a new ‘Money Follows Cooperation’ agreement to reduce barriers to cross-border collaboration. This agreement enables Norway co-investigators to be included in UK-led applications and to receive funding from the participating UKRI Councils. The same approach will apply for UK-based researchers within RCN-funded programmes. Lots of potential here for funded Arctic research collaboration across the UK and Norway. Details, timings and conditions: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/collaborate-with-researchers-in-norway/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
SAVE THE DATE: Arctic Science Summit Week 2024, 21-29 March 2024, Edinburgh
The United Kingdom will be the host of the ASSW and Arctic Observing Summit in 2024. Edinburgh has been chosen as the venue. The Local Organising Committee, with partners from the University of Edinburgh, SAMS, Scottish Government, IASC, APECS and others has been formed and begun the exciting process of bringing the event into existence. This is a great opportunity to showcase the full range of Arctic research in Edinburgh, Scotland and across the UK, in addition to the official events, business meetings and side-events. The official handover from Austria to the United Kingdom will take place at the end of the ASSW in Vienna in February. We’ll be sharing more information in the run-up to the handover and immediately afterwards. In the meantime we’re looking forward to hosting a fantastic ASSW in 2024.
SAVE THE DATE: UK Arctic Conference, 11-13 September 2023, Cambridge
Held every two years the British Antarctic Survey will be hosting the next meeting in a little over 10 months time. The conference brings together the UK’s Arctic research community in an open, friendly and accessible event. Registration is usually free. There are lots of opportunities to get involved by proposing sessions, holding side-events, submitting abstracts and posters and networking. The call for sessions is open now and closes 16 January. For more information and how to get involved: https://www.bas.ac.uk/event/uk-arctic-science-conference-2023/
Scotland Model Arctic Council 2
The website for Scotland Model Arctic Council 2 (SCOTMAC 2) is now live and open for registrations: http://scotmac.polaraspect.com/register/
SCOTMAC 2 will take place between 10-12th March 2023 at Glasgow Caledonian University. There are 32 places for undergraduate students; 20 places are reserved for students from the Scottish universities which are members of UArctic. Registration deadline is 13th Jan 2023. An overview of SCOTMAC can be found here and details on the venue here.