During two days in last week, 11 and 12 of April 2011, the Portuguese Polar Science community met in the Institute of Marine Research of the University of Coimbra.
The meetings started with the 2nd APECS Portugal workshop that brought together 42 undergraduate, MsC students and PhD students willing to discuss their role in the polar science. During the afternoon, eight young scientists presented their work in fields as marine ecology, trophic interactions, bioaccumulation of contaminants, permafrost geodynamics, and education & outreach. During the afternoon was also the opportunity to present the APECS international work and the opportunities to get involved within APECS.
In the following day, 12th April, was the time for the III Portuguese Polar Science Conference, organized by the Institute of Marine Research of the University of Coimbra, the Centre of Geophysics of the University of Coimbra, Institute of Geography and Territorial Planning of the University of Lisbon, and the University of Coimbra. It had the endorsement of the President of the Portuguese Republic. During the conference, 40 communications and posters were presented in the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra. These communications represent the work of 67researchers, working in 14 research groups both in Arctic and Antarctica, in collaboration with 17 countries from all over the world, including USA, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The conference counted with the presence of the executive director of IASC, Dr Volker Rachold, and the executive director of SCAR, Dr Mike Sparrow. The APECS Portugal organized a discussion panel during the conference with the opportunity to young polar scientists to present their work on fields as marine ecology, trophic interactions, bioaccumulation of contaminants, permafrost geodynamics, and education & outreach to the increasing Portuguese polar research community. The success of the conference once again is a reflection of the good results and the excellence and commitment of the research conducted by the Portuguese teams both in Arctic as in Antarctic.
