ALBERT

Description: The PYRN General Assembly is hold every two years as part of a regional or international permafrost conference. It is the bi-annual meeting of all young permafrost researchers registered in the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN), which is an initiative of the International Permafrost Association (IPA). The Executive Committee is an international mix of permafrost young researchers with different research backgrounds. They came together at the European Conference on Permafrost 2014 in Évora, Portugal, and have been organizing the network since then. During the assembly the current PYRN Executive Committee presents its main achievements and major milestones during the last two year of governing (2014-2016) and gives insights into the structure of PYRN and how it operates. Furthermore the new PYRN Executive Committee (2016-2018) is introduced, that starts governing the network from the end of the 11th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP2016) until the 2018 Regional Conference on Permafrost in Chamonix, France.

Description: The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) is an international organization hosted by the International Permafrost Association (IPA) and technically supported by Arctic Portal. The network provides a platform for innovative collaboration between young permafrost researchers and aspires to recruit, maintain and promote future generations of permafrost researchers. PYRN strives to apply its multi-disciplinary talents toward global awareness, knowledge and response to permafrost-related challenges in a changing global climate. Officially founded at the 2nd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II) in 2005, it will already celebrate its 10th birthday in the coming year. PYRN became increasingly popular after the International Polar Year that highlighted the importance of including young generations in polar research activities. Since then PYRN expanded constantly with more than 1000 permafrost young researchers from permafrost and non-permafrost countries today. PYRN built partnerships with large organizations such as the Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC) and the International Permafrost Association (IPA). Under a joint Memorandum of Understanding, PYRN works closely together with the IPA and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) on a bi-polar and interdisciplinary perspective for a better understanding of cryospheric processes for society. PYRN is guided by an Executive Committee, consisting of 12 young researchers, but operates through its members that self-organize themselves. In the last years PYRN organized several workshops during regional and international conferences related to polar research and was active in education and outreach activities in schools and universities. To keep it members and partners updated the network regularly publishes a newsletter. The latest activities have been arranged at the European Conference on Permafrost (EUCOP4) in Portugal, to maintain an active, dynamic and growing early career scientific network on permafrost. Organized together with APECS, PAGE21, and ADAPT, this workshop was kindly sponsored by the IPA, CliC, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research. The workshop included around 100 early career permafrost scientists from 20 countries that gathered interdisciplinary knowledge about permafrost and its key role in the Earth System in thematic break-out sessions and workshops. In coordination with the ICARP III activities, a major goal of the workshop was to frame the future avenues of permafrost research from a young researcher’s perspective, contributing directly to IASC and the IPA strategy with Permafrost Priority Sheets for ICARP III. For the 11th International Conference on Permafrost 2016 (ICOP 2016) in Potsdam (Germany), PYRN has been involved in the conference planning from the very beginning to effectively integrate PYRN members in the process of organization as well as young researchers activities in the overall conference program (e.g. session co-chairs, workshop, PYRN awards, social program). On its way to Potsdam, you can approach PYRN on many upcoming conferences with permafrost-related topics. It will collect and trying to integrate ideas for a successful young researcher program during ICOP 2016 and is looking forward to discussions with its worldwide members. The Arctic Change conference 2014 in Canada will be the first stage on the road to ICOP 2016 in Germany.

Description: The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) is an international organization fostering innovative collaboration, seeking to recruit, retain and promote future generations of permafrost researchers. PYRN was founded in November 2005 at the International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II) and is steadily growing, reaching around 1500 early career permafrost researchers and engineers, many of them from non-permafrost countries. It builds partnerships with large organizations such as the International Permafrost Association (IPA) and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). The IPY 2007/2008 has emphasized the importance of including the young generation of polar researchers in its activities. PYRN and APECS are a direct legacy of the IPY. Under a joint Memorandum of Understanding, PYRN together with the IPA and APECS work closely together on a bi-polar perspective bringing together natural and social scientist, engineers and humanities for a better understanding of cryospheric processes for society and the elaborate representation of these processes in climate models. PYRN is guided by an Executive Committee but run through its members that organize themselves in an international Council, national communities, thematic groups and several groups of interest. Over the past years, PYRN hosted workshops during the regional and international permafrost conferences. It is increasingly present with sessions and social network events on large conferences like the European and American Geophysical Union (EGU, AGU). During the EUCOP4, PYRN will host a workshop to maintain an active, dynamic and growing early career scientific network on permafrost. Organized together with APECS, PAGE21, and ADAPT, this workshop is kindly sponsored by the IPA, the Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) project and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). One major workshop focus is to elaborate the future avenues of permafrost research from a young researchers' perspective. One of the key outcomes will be a young researcher contribution to the IPA strategy for ICARP III issued as a “Permafrost Priority Sheet” summarizing the discussions from the forum. This document is envisioned to contribute to an assessment of research priorities from an early career researcher perspective. It will feed into the final ICARP III meeting in Japan 2015, together with contributions from other initiatives. The 11. International Conference on Permafrost in 2016 (Potsdam, Germany) will provide a forum for many young researchers getting involved in a plethora of activities. PYRN has been involved in the conference planning from the very beginning to effectively integrate PYRN members in the process of ICOP2016 organization as well as young researchers activities in the overall conference program (e.g. workshop, PYRN awards, social program). The conference logo has been found through an international competition organized by PYRN and will be presented in Evora.

Description: A lasting legacy of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008 was the promotion of the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN), initially an IPY outreach and education activity by the International Permafrost Association (IPA). With the momentum of IPY, PYRN developed into a thriving network that still connects young permafrost scientists, engineers, and researchers from other disciplines. This research note summarises (1) PYRN’s development since 2005 and the IPY’s role, (2) the first 2015 PYRN census and survey results, and (3) PYRN’s future plans to improve international and interdisciplinary exchange between young researchers. The review concludes that PYRN is an established network within the polar research community that has continually developed since 2005. PYRN’s successful activities were largely fostered by IPY. With 〉200 of the 1200 registered members active and engaged, PYRN is capitalising on the availability of social media tools and rising to meet environmental challenges while maintaining its role as a successful network honouring the legacy of IPY.

Description: The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN, pyrn.arcticportal.org) is an international network fostering innovative collaboration, seeking to recruit, retain, and promote future generations of permafrost researchers. Established in 2005, in the framework of the 2nd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II), PYRN is evolving and expanding its network, bringing together young and enthusiastic permafrost scientists from all around the world (Fig. 1) to exchange ideas and knowledge. We strongly benefit from our cooperation with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and our overarching organization, the International Permafrost Association (IPA), as well from partnerships with Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC) and Polar Educators International (PEI). Currently about 1,200 members are involved in PYRN, including young researchers from natural and social science, engineering and humanities. By bringing together these different disciplines, PYRN fosters research on how the arctic, antarctic and mountain permafrost regions play a key role in the Earth’s system. It has long been acknowledged that early career scientists need to be included in future polar activities since they develop, direct, and realize ideas; they frame upcoming projects, and find answers to the rising questions in our scientific frame. In the framework of large organizational activities, like the 4th International Polar Year in 2007-2008 or ICARPIII, we are able to give PYRN members a voice. Over the past years, PYRN hosted workshops during regional and international permafrost conferences. It is increasingly present at such conferences with sessions and social network events. The latest activities have been arranged at the European Conference on Permafrost (EUCOP4) in Évora/Portugal. Here, a workshop for around 100 early career permafrost scientists from 20 countries was jointly organized by PYRN, APECS, PAGE21 (Changing Permafrost in the Arctic and its Global Effects in the 21st Century), and ADAPT (Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost in Transition) - kindly sponsored by the IPA, CliC, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research. Besides break-out sessions of interest for young researchers developing their career in polar science, an activity in the form of a “World Café” was conducted to raise cutting edge research questions. Mentored by IASC and the IPA, the major goal of the activity was to elaborate on the future avenues of permafrost research from a young researchers' perspective. The outcome contributes directly to the IASC and IPA strategy through a “Permafrost Priority Sheet” for the ICARP III. During the current election period 2014-2016, PYRN celebrates its 10th year of existence. A number of important events where PYRN actively participate in the form of workshops and presentations will take place, including the EGU, AGU, the Regional Conference on Geography (Moscow), and ICOP 2016 (Potsdam). New goals have been set up for means to develop the PYRN network, e.g. through innovative outreach projects and website amelioration and revival.

Description: A lasting legacy of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008 was the promotion of the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN), initially an IPY outreach and education activity by the International Permafrost Association (IPA). With the momentum of IPY, PYRN developed into a thriving network that still connects young permafrost scientists, engineers, and researchers from other disciplines. This research note summarises (1) PYRN’s development since 2005 and the IPY’s role, (2) the first 2015 PYRN census and survey results, and (3) PYRN’s future plans to improve international and interdisciplinary exchange between young researchers. The review concludes that PYRN is an established network within the polar research community that has continually developed since 2005. PYRN’s successful activities were largely fostered by IPY. With 〉200 of the 1200 registered members active and engaged, PYRN is capitalising on the availability of social media tools and rising to meet environmental challenges while maintaining its role as a successful network honouring the legacy of IPY.

Description: The investigation of spatial and temporal variability of the snow cover in northern Eurasia (snow depth, density, thermal characteristics, water equivalent) includes large-scale fieldwork, modelling and analysis of meteorological data of two winters (2004/05 and 2005/06) from 38 weather stations situated in different climatic conditions and physico-geographical zones. Common regularities and features of snow-cover variability are revealed for these winters, despite their contrasting temperature and precipitation regimes and differences from an average winter, as the time of appearance, duration and depth of snow cover, the number of snowfalls and date of melting. The modelling of snow-cover stratigraphy is based on viscous compression and recrystallization laws. Meteorological information (temperature, wind velocity and precipitation) is used as input for the model. The output is the specific snow-cover stratigraphy according to positioning in different physical–geographical regions and due to the possible variation as determined by winter temperature and precipitation regimes. The peculiarity of snow-cover stratigraphy at the regional scale depends on the meteorological conditions of its formation as well as on the character of landscapes. A satisfactory correlation of the modelled typical columns of the snow cover formed in 2004/05 and 2005/06 in different regions of Russia and of real columns is revealed.