News for Polar Researchers in Sweden

Call: Early Career Researcher program at I/B Oden expedition: Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2026

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat invites Early Career Researchers affiliated with Swedish or Canadian universities to take part in an Early Career Researchers Program during a joint expedition with the Swedish icebreaker Oden and the Canadian icebreaker CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent in August–September 2026. Tentative dates are 10 August – 20 September 2026.

The program combines:

• Practical work, including observations and measurements
• Defined work packages with hands-on tasks
• A curriculum of lectures and workshops on the coupled Arctic climate system

Each participant will be assigned to a work package and paired with a senior researcher acting as mentor. As an Early Career Researcher, you will participate in data acquisition and are encouraged to use collected material and data in your ongoing research.

An Early Career Researcher (ECR) is defined as a master’s student, a postgraduate (PhD) student, or a researcher who has obtained a PhD degree within the past three years.

Apply no later than 11 January 2026

Call: Teacher participant on I/B Oden expedition 2026

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat offers a unique opportunity for one teacher to participate in a scientific expedition to the Arctic aboard the icebreaker Oden in 2026. As a participating teacher, you will gain first-hand insight into the conditions under which research is conducted in polar regions and have the opportunity to translate these experiences into teaching and contribute to knowledge dissemination.

The call is aimed at upper secondary school teachers who make significant contributions to promoting the natural sciences in schools and who have a strong interest in polar research.

Apply no later than 17 January 2026

Call: Artist participant on Arctic expedition 2026

Around 10 August and until approximately 20 September 2026, an expedition to the Arctic aboard the icebreaker Oden is planned, in collaboration with Canada. We are now announcing an open call for one position on board for a literary fiction writer. 

Through the artist programme, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat aims to promote interest in the polar regions among a wider audience through the expressions of professional artists. The writer is not tasked with documenting the expedition on behalf of the Secretariat, but has full artistic freedom over their own production.

The applicant writer must meet the following criteria:

• Be a literary fiction writer with previous publications through an established publisher or under editorial supervision.

• Be professionally active in Sweden.

• Have completed and been approved in a medical examination in accordance with the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s instructions, including requirements for certain vaccinations.

• Be able to work and live for an extended period in an environment with limited space and social interaction.

Apply no later than 17 January 2026

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat makes its largest investment in Antarctic research in decades

Between 2025 and 2030, several expeditions to Antarctica will be carried out in which researchers will investigate how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may contribute to sea-level rise, and how warmer oceans affect melting and ecosystems. The investment will strengthen knowledge about the impacts of climate change in Antarctica and globally.

 – There is great interest in conducting research in Antarctica, both in Sweden and internationally, which is why we are making our largest investment in several decades. Together with the research community, we are creating the conditions for new knowledge about one of the planet’s most challenging areas to study. The results will have significance far beyond the scientific community – for societal planning, climate preparedness and future generations’ understanding of a changing climate, says Katarina Gårdfeldt, Director of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

Ongoing expedition: iQ2300 2025/26

During the Antarctic summer of 2025/26, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat will carry out the iQ2300 expedition to Dronning Maud Land as part of the Swedish Antarctic Research Program (SWEDARP). The expedition marks the first field season within the research theme East Antarctic Sea Level Rise Contribution in 2300 – iQ2300, which brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to increase understanding of how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet affects future global sea levels.

Interview with Ninis Rosqvist, Stockholm University, about the iQ2300 expedition

Ninis Rosqvist is a professor of geography, with a focus on physical geography, at Stockholm University. She has 40 years of experience researching cold environments, including Greenland and Antarctica, as well as the Kebnekaise and Abisko Mountains. During iQ2300 2025/26, she is leading research on a project investigating glacier surface mass balance.

– I hope that we get really good results showing how snow accumulation has varied over time, and that we can use that knowledge to improve the climate model so that projections of future warming impacts become more reliable

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat takes over Kristineberg Marine Research Station

On 1 January 2026, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat will assume responsibility for Kristineberg Marine Research Station from the University of Gothenburg. The decision was made in connection with the government’s presentation of the 2026 budget.

– Sweden aims to be a world-leading polar research nation with the capacity to conduct expeditions year-round and to achieve greater international impact for Swedish polar research. The government’s investment helps ensure that Kristineberg, as a national research station, can continue to offer high-level marine expertise and unique marine research infrastructure, says Lotta Edholm, Minister for Upper Secondary School, Higher Education and Research, in a press release.

VGR invests in Kristineberg – strengthening the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's development of national marine infrastructures

Västra Götaland Region (VGR) is now making two significant investments that will strengthen the development of the Kristineberg Marine Research Station ahead of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s takeover of responsibility on 1 January 2026.

During the autumn, the committee decided to fund both the Kristineberg 2030 project – Sweden’s hub for marine polar research and sea testing – and the establishment of a new marine innovation centre for small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, these initiatives enable a three-year development phase in which the station’s infrastructure, test environments and collaboration opportunities will be strengthened and adapted for a broader group of users, from researchers to companies and public-sector actors.

Application for doing research in Abisko

If you want to do research at the Abisko Scientific Reserach Station, please fill out an application form on the SITES GIS website. Your application can involve an already registered project or a new project for which you are responsible.

The application should be made no later than February 28 for visits during the 2026 season. All applications are processed through InteractGIS.

New research school strengthens Swedish polar research

The University of Gothenburg has been awarded SEK 40 million by the Swedish Research Council to establish a new School of Excellence in Arctic and Antarctic Learning (SEAL), a national research school in polar research.

SEAL brings together five Swedish universities – University of Gothenburg, Uppsala University, KTH, Chalmers and Mid Sweden University – to offer a cross-disciplinary doctoral programme spanning glaciology, oceanography, climate modelling, remote sensing, technology, law, humanities and indigenous perspectives. The initiative aims to grow excellent polar researchers, enhance international networks and equip students to tackle the complex challenges facing the polar regions. The programme will start in 2026 with initial admissions planned for early next year.

The Swedish National Space Agency finances investment in improved satellite data for polar expeditions

The Swedish National Space Agency has decided to grant funding to ten projects under the Climate and Environment 2025 call to strengthen the Swedish public sector's use of satellite data in work related to climate and environmental challenges.

Among the funded projects is the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s application, “Use of satellite data for safer and more resource-efficient ship transport and research expeditions in ice-covered waters.”

The project will develop and test new methods to convert satellite data into detailed, operational information about ice conditions. The goal is to improve navigation, reduce fuel consumption and enable safer research operations in the Arctic, where rapid changes in the ice create increasing challenges for both science and shipping.

Nominate members to working groups

Two polar research organisations, of which the Swedish Research Council is a member on behalf of Sweden, are seeking representatives from Sweden for their working groups. This concerns two working groups within the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC): the Social and Human Working Group and the Atmosphere Working Group, as well as the Life Sciences group within the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR).

You may nominate yourself or someone you have been in contact with. Send a CV and a brief motivation to sara.moa@vr.se

Please send your nomination no later than 23 January 2026.

Rapporteur nominations sought for ATCM 48 

The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat is inviting Consultative Parties to nominate candidates for rapporteur roles at ATCM 48 in Hiroshima, Japan (11–21 May 2026). Rapporteurs take notes during sessions and produce session summaries for the meeting report. The position is paid, and travel, accommodation and a daily subsistence allowance are provided. Candidates should have strong written English, good knowledge of the Antarctic Treaty System, and the ability to work under tight deadlines.

Nominations (CV, cover letter addressing the criteria, and a short writing sample) should be sent to ats@ats.aq by 20 December 2025.

ASSW 2026: Registration now open 

Registration for the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark (25 March- 1 April 2026) is now open!

ASSW 2026 will include Community Meetings and Workshops (25 - 30 March), the ASSW 2026 Science Day with the theme Arctic Observations (29 March), and Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) 2026 (30 March - 1 April).

The conference is planned in a hybrid format.

Read more at the ASSW 2026 registration page

IASC Travel and Registration Fee Awards for ECRs 

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is pleased to announce the availability of a limited number of travel and registration fee awards for early career researchers to attend the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2026 (including the Arctic Observing Summit 2026) (25 March – 1 April 2026, Aarhus, Denmark).

Eligible to apply are early career researchers up to 5 years past their final degree (e.g. PhD) with an Arctic research focus.

Read more at the IASC webpage

SCAR 2026: Call for abstracts 

Abstract submissions are now open. This year’s parallel session programme features 50 sessions across the Physical Sciences, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, along with a rich selection of cross-disciplinary themes.

The abstract submission deadline is 28 February 2026 at 23:59 UTC. The conference takes place in Oslo, Norway, between 8-19 August 2026.

New open datasets from icebreaker Oden 

Two new datasets from the Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2025 research expedition with icebreaker Oden have now been published and are freely available to researchers and other users. The material adds to the growing collection of open data made available by the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat from Oden.