Project Groups

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  Project Group Leader: Rose Leeger

  The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) group is a multi-year project group first established in 2016. Since that time, the project group has worked on a number of initiatives to promote inclusion within APECS and the broader polar science community. Previous work has included organizing several webinars (e.g., Bias in professional relationships, How polar funding agencies are changing their policies to be more inclusive, Harassment in the field), creating DEI-related resources, acting as liaisons for DEI-related issues within APECS, and developing a mentorship database for ECRs. The success of these tasks has stemmed from our structure as an “umbrella organization” in which each task has been tackled by different coordinating activity groups. Together, these activity groups work towards the common goal of promoting events and policies that increase the sense of community within our membership and polar science. By developing resources to engage ECRs in DEI topics, we hope to start conversations about how to reduce instances of discrimination and harassment in our field. This, in turn, serves to bring polar science to a place that highlights the voices of marginalized community members and reconciles its troubling association with colonialism, racism, and sexism. Through these actions, the DEI group aims to follow APECS’ philosophy of building networks to aid ECRs through the burdens of systemic biases.

• APECS Podcast (Polar Times)

  Project Group Leader: Nastasia Freyria and Georges Kanaan

  Polar Times is the APECS Podcast! We aim to produce episodes on a regular basis that will appeal to those interested in polar science or the natural world. The podcast will cover polar science, environmental science, and general science topics through dedicated episodes. We will also interview those involved in the cryosphere and polar world to learn invaluable insights and experience. As a project group member, you'll have the chance to edit episodes, write episodes, organize interviews, influence the creative direction of the podcast, participate in publishing and marketing the podcast, and select podcast topics. We would like to have a diverse team to help us create fun, informative and creative content. We live in eventful times, and though they are sometimes out of mind, and often out of sight, these are also Polar Times!

• Polar Earth Observation Database

  Project Group Leaders: Jonathan Adams

  This project will continue the development of the Polar Earth Observation (EO) database. This digital resource aims to improve the accessibility of EO data across the polar regions and break down traditional barriers in using such data sets encountered by Early Career Researchers (ECRs). The objectives of this project year will be to: 1) Enhance the functionality of the Polar EO database through the development of new tools; 2) develop strategies to increase the content of the database through initiatives such as crowd-sourcing and datathons; and 3) continue to enhance knowledge of the range of data sets accessible for polar research, as well as the potential and constraints of remote sensing sensors.

• Mental Health Resources

  Project Group Leader: Jessica Serbu

  Mental Health is an issue that affects all of us in some way or another (good mental health included), but poor mental health is widely documented in academia and particularly impacts early-career researchers (ECRs). Polar researchers are faced with a unique set of challenges and potential stressors including remote, dangerous and/or lengthy field work, long lengths of days/nights, overwintering, isolation, lack of diversity and inclusion, and funding. The Mental Health Resources PG aims to (1) raise awareness and (2) provide resources surrounding the theme of mental health for ECRs. The main goal of this PG is to establish resources for mental health concerns and make them easily accessible for the APECS community through the APECS webpage. In order to do so, a mental health database for resources has been created during the past terms. Resources span from (scientific) articles to blog posts, videos, and online-courses, and will be continuously updated with the option for APECS members to submit their own resources. Database maintenance is one task of the project group alongside various other ways to raise awareness of the topic of mental health. For the coming term, we would like to distribute the established resources through webinars and social media as well as create short videos, blog articles (including personal stories of APECS members), a podcast episode in collaboration with the APECS podcast Polar Times, and many other creative ways in raising awareness of mental health issues (in academia and polar research). We always welcome new members and new ideas to speak more about our mental health.

• ResponsIble SciEnce initiative (RISE)

  Project Group Leader: Amy Macfarlane and Elaine Runge

  The responsible science initiative was born from a group of scientists working on minimizing the environmental impacts of their research while maximizing the scientific impact. The scientific community widely agrees that polar and alpine research is essential for understanding and protecting sensitive environments, but considering and weighing the consequences has been largely undiscussed. In large part, this stems from a fear that recognising the negative impacts of scientific research on the environment will harm the image of the scientific community; we counter that as stewards of science and the environment, leading the charge in this way is necessary to set a precedent for the wider community.

  This group:

  • Creates a network of environmentally responsible fieldwork researchers
  • Provides education and awareness to the scientific community
  • Provides ECRs with a framework and support to establish new methods for conducting responsible science within their institutes and projects (which is not easy as a ‘newcomer’ in an established project)
  • Provides opportunities to influence and contribute to the current shift in fieldwork sustainability

• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

  Project Group Leader: Nicola Gambardella and Shradha Agarwal

  Every year, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hosts an international summit during which world leaders, NGOs, and other influential actors come together and discuss both the current state of climate change and steps that must be taken to mitigate future environmental damage. This project group aims to give APECS members the opportunity to participate in these landmark conferences. We will spend most of the term organizing and developing APECS-run booths, workshops, and/or panels to be held at the conference. Then, in November, members of the project group will have the chance to attend the UNFCCC's summit as part of an APECS delegation, giving them the opportunity to meet other climate professionals and take part in the world's largest climate summit. This project group is an exciting way for ECRs to make connections and get directly involved in the fight against climate change. 

• APECS International Mentorship Award

  Project Group Leader: Georges Kanaan

  The APECS International Mentorship Award is designed to recognize the time and energy that mentors devote to Early Career Researchers each year, and their efforts to build a community of support. This Project Group will prepare the call, collect nominations for the APECS International Mentorship Award, organize the evaluation and announcement of the new recipient. See more information on the selection process and past recipients on the APECS Website.

• Svalbard ECR Network

  Project Group Leader: Simona Aracri

  Every year, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hosts an international summit during which world leaders, NGOs, and other influential actors come together and discuss both the current state of climate change and steps that must be taken to mitigate future environmental damage. This project group aims to give APECS members the opportunity to participate in these landmark conferences. We will spend most of the term organizing and developing APECS-run booths, workshops, and/or panels to be held at the conference. Then, in November, members of the project group will have the chance to attend the UNFCCC's summit as part of an APECS delegation, giving them the opportunity to meet other climate professionals and take part in the world's largest climate summit. This project group is an exciting way for ECRs to make connections and get directly involved in the fight against climate change. 

With so many events and projects being organized within the APECS network, it is important for all Project Groups to report on their activities so we can keep our members and partners updated about them. Here are some important form that APECS Project Groups should fill out on a regular basis:

1) When you are starting to organize a new event: let us know about it by filling out this form so we can add it to the APECS Event list.

2) Do you need some financial support for organizing your event? APECS has some very limited financial support that every Project Group can apply for. Applications are processed on a first comes, first served basis as long as funds are available. The guidelines for this funding you will find here and the applications form is here. APECS is working on a limited budget, hence APECS may only provide partial support of an event.

3) After an event or project is completed, fill out this form to let our members and partners know how it went.

4) APECS is publishing its Annual Report at the end of the year. To make sure we include all the activities of our Project Groups, please submit the End of Project / End of Term Report via this form.