Paris, France, Sorbonne University - 24 to 26 October 2023
For two consecutive days, OCEAN:ICE collaborated with our sister Horizon 2020 project, SO-CHIC, to host a Joint Project Conference. This event brought together participants from both projects and featured guest speakers, with a physical presence in Paris and online.
The Joint Project Conference commenced in the afternoon of October 24th, starting with a session dedicated to the exploration of future research questions, calls, and programme developments. Anneli Strobel, representing the Alfred Wegener Institute/EU-Polar Net 2 project, initiated the session by outlining the strategic framework for polar research actions and priorities. With this foundation in place, the participants engaged in brainstorming and productive discussions led by Jean-Baptiste Sallee.
After a quick health break, the Joint Conference resumed with Elaina Ford leading the session focused on Stakeholder Engagement. In this segment, guest speakers, including Helene Hewitt from the Met Office, Tore Hattermann from NPI, and Isobel Lawrence from ESA, provided updates on CMIP, SOFIA, and the latest developments from ESA's Earth Observations. The day came to a close with a plenary discussion.
The second day of the Joint Conference began with an early morning gathering for early-career researchers. This breakfast meeting served as a platform for ECRs to network, exchange stories, and share knowledge, setting the tone for the day ahead.
Over the course of half a day, Ruth Mottram from DMI and Andrew Meijers from UKRI-BAS led a session focused on the coordination of fieldwork and modelling among various ongoing projects. Representatives from OCEAN:ICE and its affiliated projects and initiatives including the EU Polar Cluster, PolarRES, PROTECT, TipESM, EPOC, and WISH-OI (Hop-On to OCEAN:ICE), discussed and presented their work. The session concluded with online and in-person breakout groups, fostering thematic discussions on project coordination and addressing future directions for fieldwork and modelling.
OCEAN:ICE Annual Meeting
Following two days of collaboration at the Joint Conference, it was now time to kick off the OCEAN:ICE Annual Meeting. Ruth Mottram and Andrew Meijers commenced the meeting, and shortly thereafter, we delved into updates regarding the progress, results, and plans for the next 12 months for the project's Work Packages. This session served as a valuable opportunity for project members to connect, gain insights into and celebrate the achievements of the past year, and eagerly anticipate the upcoming developments in OCEAN:ICE's second year. The presence of a Q&A and discussion segment further promoted collaboration within the project consortium and provided answers to any lingering questions and provided time to help shape and coordinate activities and efforts for the upcoming year.
On the second day of the OCEAN:ICE Annual Meeting, the focus shifted to the project's Cross-Cutting Themes. Through concurrent sessions, both remote and in-person participants gathered in Paris, delving into two overarching themes that intersected with various work packages and objectives: deep uncertainty in freshwater fluxes and bottom water and lower cell. rewrite: The day's discussions culminated in plenary reporting on the sessions, where key insights and findings were shared and discussed among all attendees.
As we reflect and wrap up on the activities of the SO-CHIC and OCEAN:ICE Joint Project Conference and Annual Meeting, it's essential to look ahead to the next 12 months. Over the coming weeks we will collate and incorporate feedback, discussion points and ideas from this meeting into our work plans. The coming year promises to be filled with exciting endeavors and collaborative efforts within and outside of OCEAN:ICE.