Center director, Professor Søren Rysgaard has devoted most of his life to Arctic marine science and his expertise is key to CIFAR in oceanography marine biogeochemical cycling and ice-ocean interactions. Søren Rysgaard is also active in developing new tools and instruments for data collection in hazardous and remote areas and for real-time data transmission. He has successfully led several large international research projects, initiated a natural science education program with year-round courses in Nuuk, Greenland, and he spearheads a strong research consortium (Arctic Science Partnership). CIFAR benefits from Søren Rysgaard's build-up of sophisticated Arctic research infrastructure (e.g., ice tanks, research vessels, field stations, teaching, and student housing facilities) in Greenland, Denmark, and Canada. He initiated the critical long-term monitoring programs and the GIOS infrastructure network which is why it is now possible to launch the CIFAR research programme.
Professor Tenna Riis leads a research group focusing on biogeochemical cycling in streams and catchment scale studies of export from land to coast. She is an internationally leading scientist in freshwater ecosystem functioning, which is an important component of CIFAR. Tenna Riis contributes with key expertise on nutrient and carbon runoff from land to coast, and biogeochemical cycling in fluvial and coastal water.
Professor Peter Grønkjær leads a research group focused on marine food webs and the ecology of fishes. He is an expert on fish ecophysiology including the impacts of freshwater-driven stratification on fish in the Baltic Sea and climate on North Atlantic and Arctic fish species. Peter Grønkjær and his lab is crucial to CIFAR in obtaining and interpreting information on fish and plankton communities, food-web structure, and fish metabolic rates.
Associate Professor Brian Sorrell leads a research group on ecosystem photosynthesis. He is a leading expert in aquatic photosynthesis and primary production and the ecophysiology of algae and aquatic plants. His research spans terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. Notable achievements include establishing a world record minimum light intensity for photosynthesis in Arctic sea ice algae. Brian Sorrell contributes key expertise to CIFAR on quantifying and understanding photosynthesis and aquatic productivity in the Arctic.
Assistant Professor Johnna Holding leads a research group on Arctic biological oceanography. She is an international leading scientist in Arctic biogeochemical and ecological processes, including primary production, acidification, greenhouse gas exchange, biogeochemical transformations and carbon remineralization. In CIFAR, Johnna Holding contributes with key expertise on freshwater-marine coupling and conceptual modelling to forecast Arctic Ocean functioning.
