More than 50 researchers from across Europe and beyond came together at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge in September for the fourth and final annual meeting of the OCEAN ICE project, an international collaboration investigating interactions between the Antarctic ice sheet, the Southern Ocean and the global climate system.
Held from 15-17 September 2026, the meeting brought together scientists both in person and online, with 40 participants attending at BAS and a further 15 joining virtually. Representatives numerous project partners took part, alongside colleagues from related initiatives including SYNCHRONY, SnowPI, TIPMIP and Antarctica InSync.
The event marked an important milestone for the Horizon Europe and UKRI-funded project, providing an opportunity to showcase scientific achievements developed throughout the project, reflect on key findings and identify new research directions emerging from the collaboration.
Opening the meeting, OCEAN ICE Coordinator Ruth Mottram of the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) and UK Grant Coordinator and PI Andrew Meijers of BAS welcomed participants. The programme started with a presentation on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion delivered on behalf of Women in Polar Science (WiPS), highlighting the project's commitment to fostering an inclusive research community.
Over three days, researchers presented results spanning the full breadth of OCEAN ICE's scientific work, from Antarctic Ocean circulation and ice-ocean interactions to ice-sheet modelling, climate impacts and long-term projections of future change. Work package leaders and members shared major achievements, discussed outstanding scientific questions and explored opportunities for future collaboration beyond the lifetime of the project.
The meeting also emphasised the lasting legacy of OCEAN ICE. Sessions focused on data preservation, ongoing research programmes and future priorities for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science. Presentations explored how tools, datasets and partnerships developed through OCEAN ICE can continue to support scientific advances and inform future assessments of climate change.
Supporting the next generation of polar researchers was another key theme. The final day began with a dedicated breakfast session for Early Career Researchers, providing an informal setting for networking, discussion and community building.
In total, the meeting featured 42 presentations, including 37 scientific talks, alongside poster presentations and discussion sessions. Many of the presentations have been made openly available through the OCEAN ICE Zenodo Community, helping to ensure that project outputs remain accessible to the wider scientific community.
As the project approaches its conclusion, the final meeting demonstrated the strength of the international OCEAN ICE community and highlighted the enduring importance of collaborative research in understanding Antarctica's role in the Earth system. Discussions on future campaigns, emerging scientific priorities and knowledge gaps reinforced the project's lasting contribution to Antarctic and climate science.
Direct links to the presentations delivered during the OCEAN ICE final project meeting can be found below:
Direct links to the posters presented during the OCEAN ICE final project meeting can be found below:
The author of the article – Rūta Hamilton (UKRI-BAS)