Representatives of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) came together at the ICSU Polar Challenges meeting 23-24 September 2011 in Sienna, Italy to sign a memorandum of understanding to advance the professional and academic development of early career researchers working in the cryosphere. A formal signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Jenny Baeseman (APECS Director), Hugues Lantuit (APECS member), Dr. Ian Allison (IACS President), and Dr. Charles Fierz (IACS President Elect) and all members of the conference.

In acknowledgement of the important role that each partner organization has in helping the next generation of cryosphere researchers, this agreement strengthens our joint commitment and serves as a framework to guide future collaborations, in particular the career development of alpine researchers. Among other activities, both organisations will work together to ensure representation of early career researchers in all aspects of IACS’ respective groups (such as conference attendance and participation in business, strategy, planning, and other committees) and inclusion of IACS members in APECS activities like the Virtual Poster Sessions and/or Career Development Webinars, Career Development Workshops and Panels. IACS and APECS will also foster mutual communication in the form of announcements, members’ updates, newsletters, and other communications, aid in disseminating information of mutual interest, and collaborate on/endorse activities of overlapping scope. APECS and IACS look forward to working together!

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) is an international and interdisciplinary organization for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early faculty members, educators and others with interests in polar regions and the cryosphere. For more information on APECS: http://apecs.is

The International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) is the Association of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) that is concerned with snow and ice science and provides expert advice on cryospheric issues to governmental and non-governmental organisations. The objectives of IACS are to:

• promote studies of all aspects of, and physical processes related to, Earth’s cryosphere and that of other bodies of the solar system,
• encourage research in the above subjects by members of the cryospheric community, national and international institutions and programmes, and individual countries through collaboration and international co-ordination,
• provide an opportunity on an international basis for discussion and publication of the results of the above research,
• promote education and public awareness on the cryosphere, and
• facilitate the standardisation of measurement or collection of data on cryospheric systems and of the analysis, archiving and publication of such data.

For more information on IACS: http://www.cryosphericsciences.org/