This year, the event gathered 22 participants from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Petrozavodsk, Arkhangelsk, Krasnoyarsk, Murmansk, and Apatity – senior graduate and post-graduate students, early-career scientists. They were offered theoretical lecturers as well as practical classes, where the participants obtained hydrophysical, hydrochemical, and hydrobiological data for Lake Imandra and prepared group presentations based on the results.
The organizers remarked on the learners’ very high initial competence level, which reflects the superior standard of education in the country and the younger generation’s passion for science.
Maxim Potakhin, Senior Researcher, Sediment Research Group, NWPI KarRC RAS
Among the school’s lecturers this year were scientists from the KarRC RAS Aleksey Tolstikov, Head of the Geography and Hydrology Laboratory of the Northern Water Problems Institute KarRC RAS, and Maxim Potakhin, Senior Researcher at the Bottom Sediment Research Group of the NWPI KarRC RAS.
- This is undoubtedly a pivotal event. There are not so many hands-on schools of this sort. It brings together people from different cities and different institutes, including graduate and postgraduate students, young researchers, and sometimes established scientists. Thus, a committed community is formed. Here, you can learn new things from others, – said Aleksey Tolstikov about the polar limnology school.
The scientist specified that this year, due to weather conditions, it was forbidden to go out onto the ice of Lake Imandra. Consequently, greater emphasis was placed on the theoretical part. The participants were familiarized with various research techniques and instruments, and worked in laboratories. Nonetheless, a practical class was held on the lakeshore.
- What is very important is that some specialists want to deepen their knowledge within the same field, while others want to get acquainted with a different area. E.g., chemists learn about hydrophysical work, while physicists watch the ichthyological research process. That is, the practical training helps build an integrated approach, – stressed Aleksey Tolstikov.
Zakhar Slukovsky, Head of Laboratory for Environmental Geology and Sustainable Nature Management in the Arctic, INEP KSC RAS, and Senior Researcher at Quaternary Geology and Environmental Geology Laboratory, Institute of Geology KarRC RAS
Polar limnology winter schools for were held at the Kola Science Center’s integrated monitoring facility in 2021, 2023, and 2024. The current school is the fourth in the series. In 2024, there was also a summer school and workshop for polar limnologists. Researchers from the Karelian Research Center’s Northern Water Problems Institute and Institute of Geology participated in each of these events. Practical training takes place on the ice and on shore of Lake Imandra.
Photos: Zakhar Slukovsky, Polina Adamskaya, KSC RAS
