CONTEXT

The Arctic region is extremely sensitive to climate changes and has experienced a much higher temperature increase compared to the global average, which is closely linked to feedbacks between the atmospheric processes and the rapid loss of sea ice and terrestrial ice. Thus the Arctic radiative balance is heavily affected by the changes in the albedo of the icy/snowy surfaces and the changes in the albedo which are associated with cloud thickness, lifetime, and optical properties. Microorganisms have progressively been in focus as key components of the Arctic climate system and have unexpected consequences for the Arctic ecosystems. In particular, biological aerosols have been implicated in a variety of biophysical and geochemical transformations both during their airborne dispersal, where they exert major influence on cloud formation and optical properties, and after their deposition, establishment and growth on icy surfaces, where they are a major factor controlling the albedo and melting rate of terrestrial ice. As major emphasis has been placed on the cryosphere by the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report, this is a key time to understand the dynamics of these microbially-driven processes as well as whether there is a way to counteract the resulting negative consequences. By gathering top researchers together with rising early career scientists within the fields of aeromicrobiology, microbial cryo-ecology, ice physics and modeling from around the world, we aim at exploiting the ongoing momentum with a dynamic exchange of state-of-the-art developments and ideas.

PROGRAM & ORGANIZATION

Supported by the Novo Nordisk foundation, twenty extraordinary individuals early in their career will be invited to meet with a group of established scientists (“mentors”) and other leaders active in fields related to microbial ecology of cryosphere and atmosphere and how they link to albedo and the climate system. The workshop will focus on the atmospheric dispersal of microorganisms, their establishment on ice sheets, the consequent changes in the surface and cloud ice influencing albedo of these surfaces, and the changes in the Arctic landscape that could impact all these processes. The workshop will include some formal presentations by senior scientists to set the stage for interdisciplinary discussion, but will favor interactive discussion and brainstorming.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

SELECTION OF APPLICANTS - OVERVIEW

Twenty early career scientists will be selected for participation in the workshop. A first round of selection of applicants will be based on a written dossier as described below.  Applicants selected in the first round will then be interviewed by the workshop organizers, via video-conferencing, in early April 2023.  Selection will be made based on the profiles of the ensemble of the applicants in view of putting together a group of participants representing different disciplines, geographic and institutional origins, and professional contexts. Final selections will be announced by end of May 2023.