Who gets to go on an expedition to the Arctic? On our expedition, the answer is:
35 scientists
5 instructors
21 students
These 61 people represent 11 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia.
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Global Organizations Represented by Expedition Participants
International Arctic Research Center University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, 38 Bering str., St.Petersburg, Russia
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Boothbay, ME, USA
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
California State University-Fresno, CA, USA
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
George Mason University, Fairfax VA, USA
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS, Moscow, Russia
Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia
Institute of Space Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Keen Marine Limited, Isle of Wight, UK
Mie University, Tsu, Japan
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Auke Bay Lab, Juneau AK, USA
National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Pusan National University, Korea
Russian State Hydrometeorological University, St.Petersburg, Russia
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Moscow, Russia
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Miami Science Museum, Miami, FL, USA
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Meet Some of our Arctic Scientists and Explorers
Title: Research Associate Professor
Organization: IARC (International Arctic Research Center), University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Regarding climate modeling, it often seems there is a rush to project into the future and make predictions. My focus, meanwhile, is to provide stronger and more sophisticated consideration of these model’s mechanisms and functions. I feel that our ability to properly understand modeling results and their implications rests largely on our understanding of the variables and limitations that we have either built into or eliminated from our modeling systems. Such considerations can also play an essential role in determining the legitimacy of unexpected results. My own research, for example, has recently shown new details regarding the cooling over northern Eurasia that results from large-scale atmospheric circulation from a warming Arctic—all of which might risk dismissal as anomaly if we were not as confident about the internal mechanisms of the models in question.
How I got into my field: My scientific career developed directly from my affinity for math and physics. In school, I remember spending most of my time solving math problems, even during literature and writing lessons. From there, I developed strong interests in theoretical physics, pursuing study in engineering and fluid dynamics, and thereby found my way to an expertise in the physical modeling of complex systems such as circulation and the climate.
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Organization: Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Education/Background: Oceanography; currently interested in satellite oceanography
My research focus/responsibility onboard: First, I would be just a student mostly interested in what others are doing. As for my personal task, I’m going to collaborate with the instructors and analyze satellite and in situ observations of chimneys in the Greenland Sea. In general, we aimed at revealing interannual variability of the deep convection in the North Atlantic and its effects on the Arctic climate.
How I got into my field: When it was time for me to choose a department at the Geography Faculty where I was studying I picked out the most (as I believed) unusual one – the Oceanography Department. And I have never regretted my choice.
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Organization: IARC (International Arctic Research Center), University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA; and AARI (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute), St.Petersburg, Russia
Education/Background: Russian State Hydrometeorological University (physical oceanography, 1982), St.Petersburg State University (applied mathematics, 1988), PhD – AARI, 1992
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Chief scientist responsible for all research related activities and overall cruise operation
How I got into my field: Just from teenage time I was interested in travel around the world, which eventually determined my choice of profession.
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Organization: Russian State Hydrometeorological University (RSHU)
Education/Background: Student of 5th course of oceanology faculty at the RSHU
My research focus/responsibility onboard: In the future, my work will be related to the analysis of spatial and temporal variability of the thermohaline characteristics of the waters of the Arctic Ocean.
How I got into my field: I was a member of the expedition on the ship ” Ecologist” in the White Sea in the summer of 2012.
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Organization: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
Education/Background: 4th year student at MIPT
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I’ll be the one of the students of summer school devoted to climate change in Arctic ocean. There will be some lectures about arctic climate and some fieldwork. Also students will do some mini-projects.
How I got into my field: I traveled a lot when I was a child, so I became interested in geography, especially oceanography and climatology when I grew up. That’s why I study oceanography in university and decided to take part in this summer school to expand my knowledge in this field of science.
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Organization: Senior Research Associate/Bigelow Analytical Services Laboratory Manager, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Education/Background: B.S., Biology/Environmental Science at DePaul University; M.S., Chemical Oceanography at Texas A&M University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My primary role will be to assemble and deploy the O-Buoy monitoring system in a suitable ice flow. My secondary role will be to assist in the deployment and recovery of moorings.
How I got into my field: I have a fondness for pigs and goats so oceanography was the obvious next step.
More about my work:
http://obuoy.datatransport.org/monitor#overview/gpstracks
http://www.o-buoy.org/
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Organization: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
Education/Background: 5th year student of MIPT(SU), master program – Ocean and Atmosphere Physics
How I got into my field: I dreamed to mix all areas of my science interests (such as physics, mathematics, geography, biology, ecology) and my hobbies – traveling, meeting new people, into one work – and I found this program Ocean and Atmosphere Physics. I’m studying this sphere for only 1 year, but I love it a lot. I hope to adopt experience of the senior colleagues, and get experience in not only theoretical but also practical work.
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Organization: Head of Laboratory, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Education/Background: MSc in Russian State Hydrometeorological University (Russia) in 2000; PhD in Arctic and Antarctic Res. Institute in 2007
My research focus/responsibility onboard: To carry out the oceanographic duties including: CTD and XCTD/XBT casts to measure vertical thermohaline structure, and assisting for mooring deployments.
How I got into my field: It might be the simple interest in the World Ocean as the most (and last) undiscovered place of our planet.
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Title: Oceanographer
Education/Background: B.S. from University of Washington School of Oceanography (2011)
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be participating in the NABOS cruise as a student. I will endeavor to learn from my peers and professors while being an asset to the research team and helping to accomplish the data gathering tasks inherent in our mission. Personally, I am interested in interdisciplinary studies which join methods of interpretation across fields to create a more complete understanding of our ocean systems, particularly concerning the patch dynamics of the arctic food web.
How I got into my field: For most of us in this field, the following truism strikes a chord; ‘the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever’ (J. Costeau). My journey here has taken many interesting twists and turns through various schools and ocean basins. The winds are pushing me towards this next adventure in the arctic and I will not deny this opportunity to learn more about my favorite subjects while sailing in new waters.
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Organization: Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center
Education/Background: I have a Bachelor degree in physics from TU Darmstadt, Germany and a Master degree in Geosciences/Meteorology from the University of Oslo, Norway. Currently, I am a PhD student at the University of Bergen and employed at the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway.
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Onboard I will participate in the summer school. I am especially interested in the measurements with an instrument that measures the temperature profile in the atmospheric boundary layer based on microwave radiation. Those measurements will hopefully help us to achieve measurements of the boundary layer stability with respect to sea-ice cover that isolates the warm ocean from the cold air. In addition, I am interested in learning more about the artic ocean-atmosphere system in total.
How I got into my field: I got interested in geosciences during my exchange year to NTNU Trondheim, Germany, where I attended an introductory lecture on atmospheric physics and later also wrote my Bachelor thesis in the same field.
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Organization: Lomonosov’s MSU
Education/Background: Bachelor of Hydrometeorology
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I studied seasonal variability of the Arctic Ocean based on observations and modeling as my bachelor’s diploma. For now I plan to continue my work in this area during my master’s program, specially working with results of world ocean models for the region.
How I got into my field: I think the first thing in oceanography that inspired me to focus on global scale was GOC and I always enjoyed the idea of using modeling as my main instrument. And as soon as got an opportunity to work with a world model and analyze it’s results I’ve chosen Arctic region to focus on because of all the controversial facts about it’s condition nowadays.
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Title: Assistant Professor
Organization: California State University – Fresno
Education/Background: B.S. in Geology from Lyon University, France (1996-2000), M.S. in Oceanography from Bordeaux University, France (2000-2001), Ph.D. in Geosciences from Northern Illinois University, Dekalb IL (2001-2006)
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I am a participant of the IARC summer school on ”Climate Change in the Arctic Ocean.” My main duty will be to ”collaborate with specialists in arctic oceanography and climate to communicate the opportunities and challenges of arctic climate observations and modeling” (per the summer school website).
How I got into my field: During my senior year, I was an exchange student at Unis, the University Centre in Svalbard, the northernmost university in the world (http://www.unis.no). My senior project dealt with the ”Nature and composition of Ice Rafted Debris on the Voering Plateau, North Atlantic, over the last 40,000 years; Relation with continental glacial curves.” This was my first introduction to the field of paleoceanography, the study of past oceans.
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Title: Graduate Student
Organization: Department of Oceanography, Pusan National University, Korea
Education/Background: Master’s course, a Bachelor of Science; Pusan National University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Phytoplankton has an important role as primary producer, and primary production of phytoplankton as the fundamental food source is significantly important for maintaining upper trophic levels in marine food webs. Through this program, research in phytoplankton’s ecology will be conducted for better understanding marine ecosystem in Arctic.
How I got into my field: I saw a polar bear and Artic sea ice in my first time when I went to the Artic, and it was amazing and exciting. So I have decided to study oceanography in the Arctic.
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Title: Diplom (M. Sc.) in Meteorology
Organization: Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, Sweden
Education/Background: Meteorology studies (Diplom) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany; Since May 2011, I am doing a PhD at the Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: In my PhD project I try to identify and understand physical key processes that are controlling the year-to-year variability of Arctic sea ice. As sea ice is the boundary layer between ocean and atmosphere, this includes both atmospheric and oceanographic processes. Since I am trained to be a meteorologist and most of my research is focused on the atmosphere, I am excited to learn more about oceanographic processes and especially atmosphere-ocean interactions during this extraordinary summer school.
How I got into my field: The first thing that got me interested in my field was actually related to one of my hobbies: skiing. Since I was six years old I went skiing with my family to the same valley in the French Alps (Chamonix) every year. At one point (maybe when I was 17) I started to realize that one of the glaciers retreated in extent dramatically. That was the point when I became interested in atmospheric science and wanted to learn more about climate. Thus, this was probably the “spark” for becoming a meteorologist. The interest in Arctic sea ice arose later, during an internship at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Joining a field campaign to Barrow, Alaska, to measure the ice thickness along the whaling trails of the Inupiaq (Eskimos), and working on a project that explored the weather and sea-ice conditions which are controlling the spring walrus hunt on two islands in the Bering Strait, made me realize how important sea ice is, not only from a meteorological but also a sociological point of view. Thus, I wanted to learn more about the processes that are altering the sea-ice cover in the Arctic, and decided to do a PhD on this topic.
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Title: Senior Research Scientist
Organization: University of Maryland Baltimore County, Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, Baltimore, MD
Education/Background: Leningrad State University, Russia, Atmospheric Physics, Satellite measurements of atmospheric composition
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Measurements of methane concentrations in the atmosphere and emissions from the Arctic Ocean, and measurements of the aerosol attenuation of solar light, and observations of nocturnal bioluminescence.
How I got into my field: I was shocked by evidence of an abrupt warming of the Arctic presented at the 2007 Fall AGU meeting. I decided to examine the impact of this warming on the atmospheric methane, the second greenhouse gas after CO2. According to satellite data, the Arctic ocean, especially the Barents and Norwegian Seas, as well as Baffin Bay, emit significant methane amounts. In-situ measurements during the cruise will be a chance to verify the existence and estimate the magnitude of this emission.
Title: Senior Oceanographer
Organization: Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington
Education/Background: B.S. of Marine Science (2003, Richard Stockton College of NJ); M.S. of Chemical Oceanography (2005, Florida Institute of Technology); Ph.D. of Oceanography (2010, Oregon State University); Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington (2010)
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I am interested in the role that Siberian shelf waters play in the formation of the halocline layer (i.e., the layer of water separating the cold and fresh mixed layer at the surface from the warmer and more saline Atlantic water at 150-300 meters depth). On the ship I will be responsible for collecting seawater samples for chemical analysis, specifically the dissolved oxygen gas in the seawater and the stable isotopic of oxygen in H2O. I will also be deploying and analyzing the data collected by the SUNA – Submersible Ultraviolet Nitrate Analyzer.
How I got into my field: I first got involved in Arctic science as a Masters’ degree student at the Florida Institute of Technology where I studied the flow of river waters beneath landfast ice just offshore of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The beautiful scenery and excitement were enough to get anyone who loves exploration hooked, but the true “spark” for me was witnessing green river water gush out of the hole we drilled into the sea ice kilometers offshore. Actually seeing the dynamics of what I spent so much time studying was invigorating and I’ve just never wanted to do anything else.
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Title: PhD Student
Organization: Finnish Meteorological Institute/University of Helsinki (working in FMI while doing my PhD studies for UoH)
Education/Background: I earned my Master’s degree (MSc) in 2012 from the department of physics in the University of Helsinki. My major was geophysics, under which physical oceanography is placed in UoH. My minors included physics, theoretical physics, astronomy and meteorology.
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Summer School Activities
How I got into my field: Here is a (too long, sorry) story on how I drifted around and ended up to study the Arctic Ocean. In high school, I had no idea that such a subject as geophysics even existed and that you could actually study physical oceanography. In school, I was always interested in physics, but that was maybe only because I happened to have the best teachers in physics, who made the world sound like it was thoroughly logical but still so far beyond my comprehension that it sounded more like magic (and maybe most of all, who were wonderful characters: one of them gave money to the class rebels to go and buy ice cream for the whole class, which, indeed, no other teacher would have done, and another one was so deep in his thoughts that he often forgot to attend his classes altogether). So, I wasn’t good at physics, but it was maybe the only subject in school that was challenging and fascinating at the same time (e.g. mathematics was never either for me). Initially, I went to university to study astronomy. I wanted to study planets and especially water and ice in our solar system and beyond (around that time water and ice were not discovered to be so common in the universe as they are now). Accidentally, I met a girl who studied seismology, which is also placed under geophysics, and she made the seismic waves traveling through the Earth sound so fascinating that I wanted to know more about them. Seismology wasn’t for me, but since I didn’t like my new hometown (I was living and studying in University of Oulu at that time), I moved back to my original hometown Helsinki, where you couldn’t study planetology, but could study glaciology and physical oceanography (not available in Oulu) instead, and so I switched from astronomy to geophysics. I was already on my way to Antarctica, when my professor at that time, and present supervisor, asked if I was sure I wasn’t more interested in the physical oceanography of the Arctic Ocean… I thought about it a couple of days and by intuition, rejected Antarctica and glaciology and chose the Arctic and oceanography (and it seemed a bit like destiny: my name means sea or ocean in Finnish). I haven’t regretted my choice yet and every day I think how fortunate I was that all the little chances in my life brought me here.
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Organization: Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Education/Background: Master’s Degree in Physics
My research focus/responsibility onboard:
I currently work as a PhD student in a climate and environment research centre. My main research interest is the large-scale numerical modeling of the interactions between sea ice and the underlying ocean, in both hemispheres. I will participate in the cruise as a student of the summer school to be held on board.
How I got into my field: My interest in sea ice modeling has been growing steadily over the years, depending on the opportunities I had. I was first interested in meteorology, then I discovered the attractiveness of climate research, and I finally started a PhD thesis in sea ice modeling, partly because it was a main focus of our centre. Today, I very much enjoy studying one of the most rapidly changing components in the climate system.
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Title: Doctor of Science
Organization: A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Education/Background: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, department of Aerodynamics and Space Research, chair of hydrothermomechanics of the ocean; Speciality: oceanography and atmospheric physics
My research focus/responsibility onboard: We study meteorologycal processes in the Arctic depending on the state of the ice cover and the synoptic situation. Also we study atmospheric conditions such as aerosol and gas structure. Our task is to understand the impact of the last decade of global climate changes on the Arctic atmosphere and climate.
How I got into my field: The mysteries of polar world….
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Title: Student
Organization: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University) (MIPT (SU))
Education/Background: I am really interested in doing some research that could be useful for the study of ice and climate change. Besides I just want to observe the vast ocean and make a contribution into its exploration.
My research focus/responsibility onboard: We study meteorologycal processes in the Arctic depending on the state of the ice cover and the synoptic situation. Also we study atmospheric conditions such as aerosol and gas structure. Our task is to understand the impact of the last decade of global climate changes on the Arctic atmosphere and climate.
How I got into my field: To go to a journey like this was my school dream. I can’t believe that my dream will come true so soon.
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Title: Research Scientist
Organization: National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado
Education/Background: Bachelor of Economics (Finance & Accounting) – Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Bachelor of Science (Climate/Atmo. Science) – Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Bachelor of Science Honours Class 1 – Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia (Similar to M.Sc. in the US); Ph.D. – University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA – Topic: Land Surface Modeling
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Snow, Permafrost, Climate, Hydrology and Land Surface Modeling: Most of my research is on the topic of snow and permafrost, but the context varies from Arctic climate, to global change to seasonal prediction and hydrologic forecasting. I am primarily an numerical modeler, working with climate models, numerical weather prediction and streamflow forecasting systems as well as developing statistical models and data assimilation systems. I do, however, regularly participate in field campaigns, both in Arctic and alpine regions. I will be an instructor/lecturer on this expedition.
How I got into my field: Visiting the Snowy Mountains in my native Australia as a young kid gave me an appreciation of cold and wild places. However it wasn’t until I was on a mountaineering trip in the Southern Alps of New Zealand in 1991/92 that I decided to turn from the field of finance and go into science. Trying to “read” the snow, geology and weather of the mountains during that trip made me ask questions about how the whole system works – I am still asking questions!
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Title: Graduate Research Assistant
Organization: International Arctic Research Center, University Alaska Fairbanks
Education/Background: M.S. candidate Natural Resource Management, 2013, UAF; B.A. Geography, 2009, UAF
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I am participating in the 2013 NABOS cruise as an instructor of the Sea Ice modules for the IARC Summer School. In addition, I will continue my research which I have been conducting during summers from 2007-2012 in the Beaufort Sea. The goal is to observe the in situ condition of the sea ice along the cruise track and at ice stations and to compare the data with passive microwave products to measure the accuracy of the products and to identify sea ice variables which may cause disagreement between the two data sources. Due to the fact that visual observations and field sampling data continues to advance the understanding of the ocean/ice/atmosphere system, we have developed and distributed a new program and software to promote standardized shipborne observations throughout the Arctic; sea ice will be recorded using the Arctic Shipborne Sea Ice Standardization Tool (ASSIST) software and shared near-real time and archived through the Ice Watch website.
How I got into my field: Beginning in my early childhood, I was curious about the polar regions; my intent was to work in Antarctica and live in Alaska’s Arctic. My primary interests, admittedly simple and naive, were to understand and contribute to research in areas which consumed my attention: “big” weather, “big” animals, and the “big” personalities of the people who I believed I would find in pursuit of the first two subjects. As it turned out, I have worked in scientific support and research at many remote areas across Antarctica and throughout Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea and Canada Basin.
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Peter William Keen
Organization: Keen Marine Limited, Isle of Wight, UK
Education/Background: Masters degree in Marine Ecology sometime back in the dim distant past
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Primarily responsible for instruments, set up and deployment of Igor’s mooring array in the Laptev and Kara seas.
How I got into my field: An epiphany while standing on a headland overlooking Muriwai beach in New Zealand that the ocean was structured.
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Organization: Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
Education/Background: MSc in Biology at St. Petersburg State University, Russia
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I am a new PhD student studying diatom-based sea ice proxies. I have very limited experience in working with ice and I have to enhance my knowledge fast. The opportunity to get first-hand experience in the Arctic Ocean is thrilling. The summer school will help me to better understand Arctic climate and how it is changing, as well as ice-related processes in the Arctic Ocean.
How I got into my field: I always wanted to be a biologist and walked more in ditches along roads than on roads (to my parents’ dismay), watching the life. My enthusiasm wasn’t specific til university. There I was shown the beauty of diatoms and just couldn’t resist.
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Ekaterina Bloshkina
Organization: Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Department of Oceanography
Education/Background: Saint-Petersburg University, Faculty Geography and Geoecology in 2008
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will work in oceanography group on the cruise.
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Organization: Physical Oceanography Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN), Sopot, Poland
Education/Background: MSc in Physical Oceanography, University of Gdansk, presently PhD student at the IO PAN
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My research concerns mixing and water mass transformation processes in the boundary areas of the Arctic Ocean currents. It is based on various oceanographic measurements such as vertical profiles and time series of water temperature, salinity, density as well as the magnitude and directions of ocean currents. During the NABOS cruise I will join the hydrography team in their work at the oceanographic stations as well as in various data analyses.
How I got into my field: There are plenty of interesting phenomena in all sorts of borderlands, including the oceanographic areas, such as land/sea frontiers, ocean fronts, topographical constraints or ocean-atmosphere-ice boundaries. In my elementary school, when I was interested in the greatest rivers on Earth, especially the Siberian ones, I did not think that someday I would trace their waters in the Arctic Ocean by myself.
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Steve Lambert
Title: Research Assistant III
Organization: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Education/Background: MS, Oceanography, FSU
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be deploying ITPs (Ice-Tethered Profilers). My job is to set up the buoy components and get everything ready for deployment.
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Title: Student
Organization: Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI)
Education/Background: 4th year student of St. Petersburg University (faculty of geography and geoecology, Department of Climatology and Environmental Monitoring)
My research focus/responsibility onboard: It is the study of the radiation balance of the “surface of the ocean-atmosphere” system, and the study of water and snow albedo surfaces (training onboard)
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Organization: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, George Mason University
Education/Background: BS Physics – James Madison University, MS Earth Systems Science – George Mason University, PhD (in progress) Climate Dynamics – George Mason University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I study the effects that aerosols (tiny airborne particles) have on the energy that reaches the ground in the Arctic. I also study the effects that aerosols have on Arctic clouds. I do this primarily by running simulations on a computer model.
How I got into my field: I’ve always been interested in how Earth “functions,” and how those things affect people who live in different areas of the planet.
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Organization: Mie University, Japan
Education/Background: Master of Science in Bioresources Science, Mie University, Graduate School of Bioresources, March 2011; Bachelor of Bioresources Science, Mie University, Undergraduate School of Bioresources, March 2009
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My past study is a strong local wind around a mountain, not related arctic meteorology. But on this cruise, I will conduct meteorology observations (with radiosondes) to find air-ice-sea interactions in the unique arctic environment. I hope that the experience of the unique environment and the world class observation project will become my first step to arctic research.
How I got into my field: When I was enjoying sailing as an undergraduate student, the strong wind made me drift on the ocean, which is a dangerous situation. This experience induced interest in dynamic meteorology for me.
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Title: Graduate Student
Organization: University of Connecticut (Avery Point)
Education/Background: B.A. Geosciences Princeton University 2012
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be collecting and filtering seawater samples for analysis of the nitrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of nitrate and other inorganic nitrogen species. Nitrogen is a nutrient essential for phytoplankton growth, and its availability and cycling pathways have large impacts on ocean productivity. By examining the ratio of 15N to 14N and 18O to 16O of nitrate in conjunction with other geochemical tracers we hope to gain an understanding of the nitrogen cycling dynamics across the Siberian shelf/slope.
How I got into my field: Growing up exploring, tide-pooling, and sailing in coastal Massachusetts, I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean. As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to work as a field and lab assistant to a graduate student studying nitrogen dynamics in the Sargasso Sea. During those cruises I was hooked, both by the physical work and excitement of sampling at sea and by thinking about the complexities, interactions, and implications of ocean biogeochemical cycles.
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Organization: P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, RAS, Laboratory of oil and gas
formation and accumulation problems in marine basins
Education/Background: Arkhangel’sk State University, Department of Chemistry, Russia
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I’m going to study how changes in the hydrological regime over the Eurasian shelves and alteration of terrestrial carbon cycles as well associated biogeochemical parameters contribute to formation and spreading of halocline water.
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Title: Researcher
Organization: P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, RAS, Laboratory of Marine
Chemistry
Education/Background: Moscow State University, Department of Geology, Russia
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I’m going to investigate the distribution of the organic carbon (dissolved and particulate) and n-alkane hydrocarbons composition in terms of the geochemical and hydrological parameters as an important characteristic allowing ones to estimate the fluxes of the organic matter and to reveal its origin and transformations in marine ecosystems.
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Title: First-year Master’s Student
Organization: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
Education/Background: Bachelor from MIPT
My research focus/responsibility onboard: A closer look at current research in the study of the atmosphere and ocean; To adopt the experience of more advanced scientists; To decide on the subjects of my future research.
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Jake Stroh
Title: PhD student / Research Assistant
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks / International Arctic Research Center student under School of Fisheries and Ocean Science at UAF
Education/Background: B.S & M.S. Mathematics, and currently an interdisciplinary PhD student
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My research is focused on the incorporation of observational data into numerical models. I am concerned primarily with ensemble filters applied to high-latitude ocean models for data assimilation and related applications. This cruise is an opportunity for me as a student to see first-hand how such data is collected.
How I got into my field: I have always had a deep interest in marine science, but my formal studies focused on mathematics and physics instead. Data assimilation for me reaches a balance between those interests, and research in this field plays an important role to scientists studying the physical ocean and applied mathematicians studying algorithms which improve the quality of numerical models.
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Title: Research scientist
Organization: Brown University, Providence, RI
Education/Background: I got my PhD at the University of Colorado. My department was Geography and my specialty was atmospheric sciences.
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be presenting lectures to students on Arctic (and some Antarctic) climate. I will also be involved with the CRREL ice mass balance buoy deployment.
How I got into my field: I used to travel a lot as a kid and for some reason I really liked to go to the Arctic. Later on I decided to be a scientist and studying Arctic climate was the most natural choice. I was lucky enough to be a student on 2005 NABOS cruise, and now I’m very much looking forward to participating as an instructor.
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Title: PhD Student/Research Assistant
Organization: Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Lab, University of Washington Seattle, WA
Education/Background: B.S. Mathematics University of Puget Sound, MS Physical Oceanography University of Washington
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I’ll be part of the hydrography team performing the CTD casts as well as deploying some eXpendable Current Probes (XCPs) to measure water velocities.
How I got into my field: I’ve always been fascinated by the high latitudes and marine environments. Oceanography provided the best opportunity to spend time on the water (or in this case – ice).
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Organization: Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO)
Education/Background: Oceanologist, PhD
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My main scientific interest is Antarctic waters, and their hydrochemical structure and features. During the cruise I am going to study the organic matter in the Arctic waters that is an important link between the hydrological and biological properties. The organic matter in conjunction with inorganic nutrients makes it possible to estimate the bioproductivity of the Arctic waters.
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Title: Dr. rer nat.
Organization: AARI (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute), St. Petersburg, Russia
Education/Background: Master in Applied Polar and Marine Sciences, Saint-Petersburg State University together with Bremen University, Dr. in Geology and Palaeontology, University of Kiel, Germany
My research focus/responsibility onboard: Onboard I will take water samples to measure dissolved salt content on a high-resolution lab salinometer, to monitor and control the salinity derived from CTD. I will also probably oversee the sampling protocols.
How I got into my field: I guess the interest in earth sciences came from the very childhood when I spent summers in the Ural Mountains, and got caught in their natural history, minerals and plants. Later came the more conscious choice of firstly ecology to protect the world, then marine geochemistry to deduce natural fluctuations, and finally the Arctic, for if you have once been out there you’ll never forget it.
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Organization: Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (SI «AARI»), Center of Ice and Hydrometeorological Information (CIHMI)
Education/Background: I graduated from the Russian State Hydrometeorological University (Department – Oceanology) in 2006. In 2010 I got a qualification «Ice Observer»
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My job responsibility with my colleague Masanov Andrei is having regular sea ice observations (ice concentration, ice thickness and other features), processing satellite information, and making ice charts.
How I got into my field: I was a participant in expeditions in the White and Kara Seas and 8 expeditions in the Baltic Sea.
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Organization: A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences
Education/Background: Master degree in Hydrometeorology (Lomonosov Moscow State University)
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I assess cloudiness characteristics changes in the Arctic and Northern Eurasia and I will give a talk and training on this theme during the cruise. Also I am the Head of Young Scientists Council and I connect young researchers with the directorate. I will use these skills during the cruise where I will have an administrative assistant duty.
How I got into my field: I fell in love into meteorology when I realized as a child that rain is a matter of space but not the matter of time. It does not “begin” and “end”, it “comes” and “goes away.”
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Title: Research Scientist
Organization: Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO)
Education/Background: Department of Oceanology, Faculty of Geography, Moscow State University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: My research interest is about nutrient conditions in the upper layers of the Arctic basin and its influence on primary production. In the expedition, our team will measure and estimate the stucture of dissolved organic matter (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous). Also we will help our collegues with nutrient measurements.
How I got into my field: After finishing the university, I worked in different seas and oceans, but after visiting the Arctic ocean some years ago, I understood that my destiny is Arctic.
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Title: Research Technician
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Education/Background: M.S. Marine Biology – University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences; B.S. Biology / Marine Biology – Florida Institute of Technology
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be involved in collecting water samples at various depths and analyzing those samples for nutrient concentrations. This data informs us about the distribution of nutrients in the water column and how it may change from year to year.
How I got into my field: The spark for my interest in marine science occurred when I was 4 years old at the beach when I lived in Panama. I was so fascinated with the organisms in the water, in particular the stingrays that would sun themselves in the shallow surf. Looking out toward the ocean I wondered what else was out there.
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Title: Marine expert, PhD student
Organization: Finnish Meteorological Institute, Oceanographic services / University of Helsinki
Education/Background: M.S. Mathematics, University of Helsinki
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I’m a summer school student onboard.
How I got into my field: I always enjoyed being at sea and sitting on the shores watching the sea. I studied physical oceanography as a minor and rather soon after graduation was lucky to get a job first in sea ice physics and later in oceanography.
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Organization: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, George Mason University
Education/Background: BS Mathematics and Mechanics – University of Bucharest, Romania, MS Mathematics and Mechanics – University of Bucharest, Romania, PhD (in progress) Climate Dynamics – George Mason University, advisor Edwin Schneider
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I study how much of the North Atlantic multi-decadal variability (including atmospheric and oceanic parts) is affected by external forcing and how much by weather noise atmospheric forcing. In order to study this I use an ocean-land-atmosphere coupled model.
How I got into my field: I always loved nature and natural phenomena but I was planning to study mathematics. I went to a summer school and met there a team of scientists working in Climate Dynamics and I decided to apply for a PhD program in this field.
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Organization: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
Education/Background: 3rd year student, the airphysics and space research faculty, ocean thermo hydromechanics department
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be onboard as a student. So I’ll be attending lectures and participating in the projects and research carried out during the expedition. I’m also to make 2 presentations: about myself and about the history of Arctic explorations, as I haven’t got my own research yet.
How I got into my field: Participation in this expedition is an opportunity for me to get the first hands-on experience in science that will be my profession for many years, and to have the opportunity to meet and interact with like-minded students and researchers from different countries. It will also give me the understanding of recent international trends, a chance to explore innovative methods of research and other key challenges that oceanographers are facing. I am sure that the expedition will help me to decide on the direction of research that I could do myself.
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Title: Science Curator
Organization: Miami Science Museum
Education/Background: M.S. in Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; B.S. in Physics and Astronomy, The Ohio State University
My research focus/responsibility onboard: I will be responsible for documenting the expedition and leading the science communication and social media efforts onboard. We hope the public will follow along on our Arctic adventure and learn about the amazing science of the Arctic atmosphere, ocean, and climate (and see how climate connects us all around the globe).
How I got into my field: I have always wanted to be an explorer. When I was 5, I decided I wanted to be an astronaut (I still do), and since then I have developed the lifelong goal of exploring the Earth and living on every continent — and working in science while I was at it. So far I’ve lived on 4 continents (even spending a couple weeks at a Russian research base in Antarctica), working at observatories and science centers, or teaching science. I never expected to be able to go on an Arctic expedition, so this is such an exciting chance for me to combine my loves of science, education, and exploring.
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The Complete Who’s Who of the Expedition
Scientists
Admin Team
Igor Ashik (Co-Chief Scientist), Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Alexander Chernokulsky (Administrative Assistant), A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russia
Vladimir Ivanov (Chief Scientist), International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Chemistry Team
Robert Rember (team leader), International Arctic Research Center, USA
Matthew Alkire, University of Washington, USA
Ksenia Artamonov, Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Russia
Anastasia Drozdova, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russia
Ivan Gangnus, Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Russia
Howon Lee, Pusan National University, Korea
Janghan Lee, Pusan National University, Korea
Anna Nikulina, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Mikhail Ponyaev, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russia
Patricia Rivera, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Dean Stockwell, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Lija Treibergs, University of Connecticut, USA
Elena Vinogradova, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russia
Meteorology Team
Irina Repina, IAP RAS (team leader), A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, RAS, Russia
Arseniy Artamonov, A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, RAS, Russia
Alexey Gubin, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Kensuke Komatsu, Mie University, Japan
Alexey Ermoshkin, A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, RAS, Russia
Vasilii Polkin, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Leonid Yurganov, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA
Hydro Team
Sergey Kirillov (team leader), Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Andrey Pnyushkov, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Ekaterina Bloshkina, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Ilona Goszczko, Institute of Oceanology PAS, Poland
John Guthrie, University of Washington, USA
Tech Team
Ian Waddington, UK (team leader)
Peter Keen, Keen Marine Limited, UK
John Kemp, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, USA
Steve Lambert, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, USA
Carlton Rauschenberg, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, USA
Ice Team
Andrey Masanov (team leader), Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Polina Soloschuk, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Instructors
Vladimir Alexeev (Director), International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Lindsay Bartholomew, Miami Science Museum, USA (Media)
Alice Orlich (Sea Ice), International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Andrew Slater (Atmosphere/Land), National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, USA
Maria Tsukernik (Atmosphere), Brown University, USA
Students
Antoine Barthélemy, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Ioana Colfescu, George Mason University, USA
Anna Gnevasheva, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia
Viktoriya Yukhimuk, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russia
Marie Kapsch, Stockholm University, Sweden
Svetlana Karimova, Institute of Space Research RAS, Russia
Elena Khavina, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Vadim Kopitsa, Russian State Hydrometeorological University, Russia
Meri Korhonen, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland
Irina Larkina, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Svetlana Lisova, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Elena Malyarenko, Moscow State University, Russia
Marika Marnela, University of Helsinki, Finland
Anna Nesterovich, Iowa State University, USA
Maria Parfenova, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Ekaterina Perminova, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Mathieu Richaud, California State University, USA
Eric Stofferahn, George Mason University, USA
Jacob Stroh, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, USA
Florence van Tulder, NOAA Auke Bay Lab, USA
Tobias Wolf, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Norway
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What beautiful spiritual faces ! Best regards!
Thanks for the well wishes! Keep on following us!