NEWS Twelve doctoral students from the United States will visit Umeå University’s Climate Impacts Research Centre, CIRC, in Abisko this summer to form new research collaborations. The projects will mostly focus on the role of arctic lakes and rivers in the carbon cycle.
American PhD students in Abisko
PhotoEmma Brisdion“Umeå has a strong strategic position for addressing emerging questions about the aquatic ecosystems, especially the impacts of climate change on lakes and rivers” says Professor Michael Pace, President of ASLO and Chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. “This is why ASLO is excited to send students to Umeå where they can benefit from working at a major research university with unique access to boreal and Arctic ecosystems.”
The visits come through an experimental program named Limnology and Oceanography Research Exchange. The exchange has been organized by the Association of the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) in response to observations that doctoral students are not being trained to address international problems. International problems are common for lakes and rivers because many lay across national boundaries.
“We are very excited to host these students,” says Professor Jan Karlsson, Director of the Climate Impacts Research Centre. “This exchange will fill an important educational need for these future research leaders while also generating significant international visibility for Umeå University and the Climate Impacts Research Centre.”
The students will hold a symposium at Umeå University on June 14 to introduce their research interests to students and the Faculty of science and technology at Umeå University. Dr. Adina Paytan, an oceanographer from the University of California, will give the keynote. The symposium will run from 14:00 to 16:00 in the Chemical Biological Centre (KBC) and is open to the public.
The Limnology and Oceanography Research Exchange will run for three years total, with PhD students also visiting universities Israel, Australia, and Canada.
ASLO is the largest professional society for scientists studying oceans, lakes, and rivers, with over 4300 members from 60 countries.
The Climate Impacts Research Centre conducts research and education with focus on climate impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in Arctic and alpine regions. The operations are based in the Abisko Scientific Research Station, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden.