Swiss Polar Institute

Info Event on Collaboration between SPI and Institut nordique du Québec
2023-04-25 14:30 - 17:00 (Europe/Zurich) | Online
On 25 April 2023, the Institut nordique du Québec and the Swiss Polar Institute will present their new collaboration paving the way for avenues of polar science and research.
The event will comprise two parts, a presentation of the partnership and its benefit for the polar science communities from Quebec and Switzerland followed by a scientific exchange and discussion.
Programme: 2:30-5:00 PM CEST
2:30 – Joint welcome by INQ and SPI
2:45 – Presentation of the INQ-SPI collaboration agreement
3:00 – Application mechanisms and processes
3:15 – Virtual round table discussion with inputs from research groups from different fields

Overview of Swiss and Quebec Arctic and high-altitude science initiatives and infrastructure by SPI and INQ (30 min)
Tour de table of participants on their current projects and collaboration interests (5 min per participant)
Exploration of potential collaborations, synergies and common fields of interest

Participation in the round table discussion:
In order to explore potential collaborations, the programme foresees a roundtable discussion between the science communities from Quebec and Switzerland. If you wish to present your field of research or projects in the Arctic or high-altitude regions, fill in the registration form accordingly. Please note that you will receive a confirmation, whether it is possible to accommodate your request.
Registrations are now closed. Thank you for your understanding.

From the Alps to the Poles: Climate and Research in Extreme Regions
2023-05-24 19:00 - 22:00 | La Cabine, Rue de l'Industrie 40, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
As part of this year’s Pint of Science Festival in Sion, join us at La Cabine for an exciting discussion in a convivial atmosphere with Prof. Jérôme Chappellaz (EPFL Valais-Wallis) and Danièle Rod (Swiss Polar Institute), about the importance of polar research for the understanding of climate, its links with the Alps and Switzerland’s unique contribution to this field.
The event is free of charge. As the places are limited, booking is highly recommended.
We look forward to seeing you there!
To the event page and booking form

Header photograph: © 2022 Evan Miles, all rights reserved

Swiss Polar Day 2023
2023-09-15 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
Swiss Polar Day 2023 took place on 15 September in Sion.
This event is the annual gathering of the Swiss polar science community and includes national and international keynotes, networking opportunities and updates on recent developments in polar research.
Presentations:

Alpole Groups
Keynote 1: Team work at world’s end: What makes an effective polar team? – Jan Schmutz, University of Zurich
Keynote 2: How snow on sea ice controls Earth’s energy budget – Ružica Dadić, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Open Forum
Open Forum Continued
Collaboration opportunities with NIPR in the Arctic and Antarctic – Hiroyuki Enomoto, National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo (Japan)
Collaboration opportunities with INQ in Canada’s North – Jean-Éric Tremblay, Institut Nordique du Québec (Canada)
SPI Flagship Initiatives: GreenFjord & PAMIR
SPI News

Vincent Hiroz, Operation Director EPFL Valais-Wallis

Hubertus Fischer, STAB SPI

Hubertus Fischer, STAB SPI

Keynote by Jan Schmutz, UZH

Open Forum presentation by Marjolein Gevers, UNIL

Open Forum presentation by Sabine Rumpf, UniBas

Open Forum presentation by Cengiz Akandil, UZH

Open Forum presentation by Sascha Hardegger, Dufour Aerospace

Open Forum presentation by Alice Pradel, ETH Zurich

Official address by Christophe Darbellay, State Councillor, Canton of Valais

Official address by Matthias Gäumann, Vice President for Operations, EPFL

Presentations by Hiroyuki Enomoto (NIPR) and Jean-Eric Tremblay (INQ)

Andreas Henz and Fabienne Meier (UZH, ETH Zurich) present the Juneau Icefield Research Program

Open Forum presentation by Marius Banica, ZHAW

Presentation of APECS Switzerland by David Touchette, Elizaveta Sharaborova and Vincent Haagmans

Daniel Farinotti (STAB) presents the SPI survey on the environmental footprint of polar research

Keynote by Ruzica Dadic, WSL SLF

Update on the GreenFjord Flagship Initiative, presented by Julia Schmale, EPFL

Update on the PAMIR Flagship Initiative presented by Martin Hoelzle, UniFr

Presentation of RIVER by Tom Battin, EPFL

Presentation of CRYOS by Hendrik Huwald, EPFL

Presentation of Alpole groups and SENSE by Jérôme Chappellaz, EPFL

Demostration by MACE lab

Open Forum presentation by Jonathan Lemieux, NousProd

Conclusion and wrap-up by Björn Dahlback, STAB

Group photo

Programme
10:00-10:30 Registration & welcome coffee
10:30-10:50 Opening and welcome by Vincent Hiroz, Operational Director EPFL Valais Wallis, Hubertus Fischer & Björn Dahlback, STAB SPI
10:50-11:20 Keynote 1
Team work at world’s end: What makes an effective polar team? by Jan Schmutz, University of Zurich
11:20-12:00 Open Forum part 1
12:00-13:00 Official address by Christophe Darbellay, State Councillor, Department of Economy and Education, Canton of Valais and Matthias Gäumann, Vice President for Operations, EPFL
followed by presentations and visits of Alpole labs
13:00-14:15 Lunch
14:15-14:55 International collaboration opportunities
Collaboration opportunities with NIPR in the Arctic and Antarctic
Hiroyuki Enomoto, National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo (Japan)
Collaboration opportunities with INQ in Canada’s North
Jean-Éric Tremblay, Institut Nordique du Québec, Canada
14:55-15:20 SPI News
15:20-15:50 Keynote 2
How snow on sea ice controls Earth’s energy budget by Ružica Dadić, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
15:50-16:05 Update by SPI Flagship Initiatives GreenFjord & PAMIR
16:05-16:45 Open Forum part 2
16:45-16:50 Conclusion and thank you
16:50-18:30 Networking drink

Download the poster

The videos are available on our YouTube channel.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to this event!

Carnotzet scientifique - Des Alpes aux Pôles
2023-10-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Le Dôme Planetarium, Rue de Saint-Guérin 34, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
Meet us under the stars at the Planetarium in Sion for an extraordinary journey to the poles in the company of Danièle Rod, Executive Director (SPI), and Dr. Jérôme Chappellaz, Full Professor (EPFL) and Senior Scientist (“Directeur de Recherche”) at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
Why the scientific research in the poles is crucial to understanding current climate change and challenges, its link with the Alps and Switzerland’s unique contribution in this domain feature among many other aspects of polar research the two speakers will share with the public.
Practical details

In French only
Free of charge
Limited seats, registration recommended
To the event and registration page

PolARTS digital info event
2023-11-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
The Swiss Polar Institute and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia co-organise an online info event in view of participating in the PolARTS call for proposals 2023 (currently open). This event serves to provide information on the goal of the call and the procedure. It is also an opportunity for artists and scientists to meet potential tandem partners.
Those who are unable to attend have the possibility to provide us with information about their interest and motivation to take part in the call using this same event registration form. This information will be collected in a little brochure and made available to the online event attendees as well as to all who registered.
Please note that priority will be given to artists and scientists who meet all the eligibility criteria described above to participate in the info event.

We invite you to register here and look forward to seeing you at this occasion.
Find out more about previously funded projects (2020 and 2022 editions)

Header photo: ©Jean-Vincent Simonet, all rights reserved

Including polar and high-altitude regions in your research - Opportunities with the Swiss Polar Institute
2023-11-28 16:15 - 17:00 | University of Geneva, Rue des Maraîchers 13, Geneva, 1205, Switzerland
Have you ever thought of bringing your research into the extremes found in the polar and high-altitude regions?
The Swiss Polar Institute offers tailored support and funding to scientists based in Switzerland who want to work in polar regions and remote, high-altitude environments and is invited to present its portfolio of activities and funding opportunities at the University of Geneva.
This event is organised by Prof. Markus Stoffel, Head of the Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA) Chair at the Institute for Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva, and affiliated with the University’s Departments of Earth Sciences and F.-A. Forel for Aquatic Sciences.
The event is open to all members of the academic community at the University of Geneva.
Location
University of Geneva
Rue des Maraîchers 13
1205 Geneva
Room 001
More information
https://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/en/

Header photograph: © Achille Jouberton, all rights reserved

Prix de Quervain 2023 - Symposium & Award Ceremony
2023-11-30 18:15 - 20:30 | Alpines Museum der Schweiz, Helvetiaplatz 4, Bern, Bern, 3005, Switzerland
The award ceremony for the Prix de Quervain 2023 will take place on 30 November at the Alpine Museum in Bern.
The Prix de Quervain for Polar and High-Altitude Research is attributed to early-career scientists for outstanding achievements in their MA or PhD thesis, or other research projects.
The public event will feature renowned speakers and the author of the awarded PhD thesis.
Useful information:

Free of charge
Registration required on the organiser’s webpage by 19 November 2023.
Access the details and the full programme on the official webpage of the event.

Header photograph: Alfred de Quervain. © ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Photographer: Unknown / Dia_297-0071 / Public Domain

Swiss Polar Class Festival
2023-12-02 09:00 - 17:30 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
The first edition of the Swiss Polar Class Festival will take place in Sion (VS) on 2 December.
Destined to all who are curious about polar regions, the festival features activities for all ages:
Treasure hunt – Expedition game – Science exhibition – Creative workshops – Drawing workshop – Student area – Screenings of polar films – Arctic art exhibition – Polar library – Icy Cordial Bar – Tales from the cold (in French only) – Live conference from Antarctica (in French only)
The event is organised by Swiss Polar Institute’s outreach programme which mission is to raise awareness on the importance of scientific research and polar and high-altitude regions in understanding climate change. The various content of the festival will be made available in French and German.
Useful information:

Free of charge
More information & detailed programme: en français
More information & detailed programme: auf Deutsch
Registration mandatory: secure your e-tickets here

We look forward to seeing you there!

Vendée Globe 2024 - Ocean Sailing and Data Collection, a Race for Change
2023-12-21 15:30 - 16:30 | UNIL Campus, Géopolis, room 2230, Quartier Mouline, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
Swiss professional sailor Oliver Heer will present his project at UNIL on 21 December: while racing in the Vendée Globe 2024 and navigating around Antarctica, he will be collecting forefront environmental data. The project is part of a collaboration with the Swiss Polar Institute, which has brought together a group of experts from UNIL, UNIBE and ETH Zurich for data analysis. This new data collection could lead to unprecedented information on the Southern Ocean and aims towards a better understanding of climate change, its impact on oceans and on the global scale.
Join us for the event to discover more about this inspiring project and its initiator, Oliver Heer. The event will also feature a presentation by Prof. Samuel Jaccard.

Free admission.
Due to logistical reasons, please register here.

Swiss Polar Institute @ ZHAW
2024-01-16 10:00 - 13:00 | ZHAW
The SPI and ZHAW jointly organise an internal information and exchange event to explore future collaboration opportunities. If you are a researcher at ZHAW and are interested in polar or high-altitude regions, please write to secretariat@swisspolar.ch

Workshop on opportunities with the Fondation Tara Océan and the Tara Polar Station
2024-02-26 14:00 - 18:00 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
The SPI and the Fondation TARA OCÉAN meet to discuss collaboration opportunities and sign a memorandum of understanding.
The in-person even will take place in the reading room of the Swiss Polar Institute, Alpole building, EPFL, Sion.
If you cannot join us in person, remote participation via zoom is possible.
If you are interested in taking part in the workshop, please register here.

Agenda:
13:30 Welcome coffee
14:00 Welcome and context
Romain Troublé, Tara Ocean Foundation Director
Danièle Rod, SPI Executive Director
14:15 Informal tour de table
14:45 Presentation of Tara and Tara Polar Station (TPS)
Introduction to the platforms and science programmes
Romain Troublé, Tara Ocean Foundation Director
Clémentine Moulin, Head of Operations Tara Ocean
Chris Bowler, Scientific co-director of the TPS and member of Tara scientific board
Swiss perspectives of work with Tara & TPS
15:30 Questions and Answers
16:15 End of workshop
16:30 Signing of Tara and SPI MoU
16:45 Apéritif for workshop participants

Workshop for collaborative research between AWI and SPI
2024-03-01 14:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
In the context of their recently signed MoU, the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and the Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) are organising an online workshop event on 1 March from 14:00 to 17:00.
The workshop intends to built on existing synergies and foster new collaboration between AWI and Swiss-based scientists working in both Antarctic and Arctic regions. Additionally, we hope to discuss collaboration with regards to future large-scale projects in Antarctica, such as Antarctica InSync or Rings.
All scientists with an interest in polar regions are invited to participate in the event and we particularly invite ECR and researchers with no existing collaborations with AWI based researchers.
The preliminary agenda for the event is:

Introduction / Tour de Table
Overview AWI research programme + SPI funding / projects (strategic level)
Results and future plans of existing or planned collaborations (8-10 min per collaboration, 5 slides)
Discussion session on opportunities for future collaboration in Antarctica, e.g. Antarctica InSync, Rings, bilateral projects
Next steps and conclusions

You can register for the event here and please do not hesitate to contact us (secretariat@swisspolar.ch) if you have any questions or suggestions for additional agenda items.

Vendée Globe 2024 – Ocean Sailing and Data Collection, a Race for Change - Bern
2024-03-04 09:00 - 11:00 | ExWI building, Room B6, Sidlerstrasse 5, Bern, 3012, Switzerland
Swiss professional sailor Oliver Heer will present his project at the University of Bern on 4 March: while racing in the Vendée Globe 2024 and navigating around Antarctica, he will be collecting forefront environmental data. The project is part of a collaboration with the Swiss Polar Institute, which has brought together a group of experts from UNIBE, UNIL, and ETH Zurich for data analysis. This new data collection could lead to unprecedented information on the Southern Ocean and aims towards a better understanding of climate change, its impact on oceans and on the global scale.
Join us for the event to discover more about this inspiring project and its initiator, Oliver Heer. The event will also feature a presentation by Prof. Thomas Frölicher.

Free admission, no registration required
Picture credits: © Oliver Heer, all rights reserved

Vendée Globe 2024 – Ocean Sailing and Data Collection, a Race for Change – Zurich
2024-03-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Room P12, Building CHN, Universitätstrasse 16, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
Swiss professional sailor Oliver Heer will present his project at ETHZ on 4 March: while racing in the Vendée Globe 2024 and navigating around Antarctica, he will be collecting forefront environmental data. The project is part of a collaboration with the Swiss Polar Institute, which has brought together a group of experts from UNIBE, UNIL, and ETH Zurich for data analysis. This new data collection could lead to unprecedented information on the Southern Ocean and aims towards a better understanding of climate change, its impact on oceans and on the global scale.
Join us for the event to discover more about this inspiring project and its initiator, Oliver Heer. The event will also feature a presentation by Prof. Nicolas Gruber.
Room P12, Building CHN, Universitätstrasse 16, ETHZ Zürich
Free admission, no registration required
Picture credits: © Oliver Heer, all rights reserved

"PARADiCE - The Procession of Glaciers" documentary screening
2024-03-14 17:30 - 19:30 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
A Canal9 | Kanal9 documentary film (2023, 52 min., original version in French, English subtitles).
The screening will take place in SPI’s Reading Room, in the presence of film director Hugo Cousino.

Programme:
17:30 – Welcome
17:45 – Screening
18:45 – Discussion
19:00 – Aperitif
Free admission.
Due to logistical reasons, registration is highly recommended.

Synopsis
In its foothills, the Rhône Valley is home to over 600 glaciers. These living systems, legacy of distant ice ages, have been shaping the Alpine landscape for two million years. They were once forbidden territory and their retreat since has given rise to paradises. Forests, lakes and rivers spring from their movements, which at the same time shape the representations humans have of them, both terrifying and fascinating. Many legends are told about glaciers. The legend of the Gratzug, the ‘procession of the ridges’, a ghostly parade that is supposed to keep the reckless at bay if they dare to pester the glaciers too closely, symbolises this vital relationship with these icy giants, whose fragility we witness today. As we progress, they recede, alarming their neighbours who watch helplessly as this inexorable decline takes place. PARADiCE is the story of a twofold procession of life and death, of humans and glaciers moving towards and away from each other, told by the ice giant that covered most of the Alps at its peak: the Rhône Glacier. Through the memories of guides, the gaze of artists, the eye of scientists, wounds and grief, this dive into the heart of the ice questions the balance between our existence and that of the glaciers.

Tips for planning a successful field campaign
2024-05-07 16:00 - 18:00 | HG D 5.2, Rämistrasse 101, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
From administrative hurdles to equipment failure and changing weather conditions, fieldwork can become a tumultuous experience hindering scientific research. In this event, speakers from diverse backgrounds will share their experience and perspectives on planning a successful field campaign. This event is specifically designed for early-career researchers to learn more about the various challenges of fieldwork, and most importantly, how to navigate around them.
Please register by completing this form.

Programme:
16:00 — Managing networks in Switzerland (15 minutes + questions)
Basil Fahrländer, Scientific Collaborator at SPI
16:20 — Networks abroad (15 minutes + questions)
Prof. Dr. Núria Casacuberta Arola, Oceanographer and Professor at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich
16:40 — Integrating uncertainty in planning (15 minutes + questions)
Dr. Michael Styllas, Geologist and Mountain Climber
17:00 — Navigating customs (15 minutes + questions)
Silvia Nast, Export Control Officer at ETH Zurich
17:20 — Moderated panel Q&A (30 minutes)

Rencontres au pôle Nord
2024-05-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Ferme-Asile | La Grenette, Rue du Grand-Pont 24, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
In collaboration with the Swiss Polar Institute, Ferme-Asile organises a guided tour of the GRAND NORD exhibition in the company of a scientist and an artist for a polyphonic exchange as they comment on the exhibited artworks and put their perspectives in dialogue.
The tour will be in French only.
The exhibition GRAND NORD unites works by 27 artists, created or designed during artist residencies on sailboats in the Arctic region. Initiated by artist and curator Alexia Turlin, this exhibition is an opportunity to observe how these floating residencies give rise to new ideas and creative processes. Collective and highly personal, these inner journeys are also spatial explorations.
The GRAND NORD exhibition space brings together works at the crossroads of different artistic media and invites us to question our representations of the North Pole and to reflect on how this region, with its deep cultural history and geopolitical importance, reveals our relationship to life and to our planet.
With the participation of : Alexia Turlin, Ambroise Héritier, Anaëlle Clot, Anaïs Nariman Aïk, Anne-Sophie Subilia, Benjamin Ruffieux, Céline Ducret, Christian Bovey, Claire Frachebourg, Colline Grosjean, Fabian Branas, Fanny Zambaz, Fred Bott, Gwennaël Bolomey, Isabelle Pralong, Jean-Louis Johannides, Jessica Decorvet, Katharina Kreil, Laure Akash, Laure Gonthier, Marylaure Décurnex, MarieMo, Matthieu Berthod, Mélanie Rouiller, Michèle Pralong, Prosper Thon, Rudy Decelière.
More information:

Access, booking, exhibition entrance fees, duration and opening hours
Exhibition poster & programme

Remote Scientific Fieldwork & Social Dynamics Course
2024-05-29 10:00 - 16:30 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
Fieldwork is an integral part of geoscience research. A positive and supportive group culture is an essential part of ensuring that field teams can be maximally productive and safe during field campaigns.
In this course led by Mylène Jacquemart, postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, we will cover leadership and communication tools that can help field team members, regardless of their position in the team, contribute to creating such a positive environment. Topics to be covered include:

how to build and use codes of conduct (also referred to as norms agreements or positive working environments),
leadership roles and styles,
decision making styles,
debriefing as a risk management tool.

The registration is mandatory, please register by completing this form. Thank you!

Photo credit: © 2023, Marcel Schütz / University of Basel, all rights reserved

Ice Melt / Snowmelt and their impact on mountain regions in Colorado and Switzerland
2024-06-04 17:00 - 21:15 | University of Colorado, Village Center at William’s Village, 500 30th Street, Boulder, CO, 80309, United States
The Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco will hold a series of events in Boulder, Colorado on 3 and 4 June 2024, with the support of the Swiss Polar Institute (SPI), the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), and the Embassy of Switzerland in the United States of America.
On 4 June at 17:00 Swiss time, Swiss and U.S. experts will share their insights on topics related to ice melt and snowmelt. From glacial dynamics to climate change impacts, expect thought-provoking discussions that bridge scientific knowledge across borders.
More information about the event and the panel of experts are available on the event webpage.
To attend the event remotely, you can access the zoom link here.

SPI Exploratory Grants & Technogrants 2024 - Online Info Event
2024-08-29 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
The Swiss Polar Institute organises an online info event on its two calls to be published in early August: the SPI Exploratory Grants and the SPI Technogrants. This event will provide information on the calls’ respective goals and processes, and will include a Q&A session.

We invite you to register here and look forward to seeing you on this occasion. You will receive the participation link by email shortly before the event.
Find out more about previously funded SPI Exploratory Grants and SPI Technogrants projects

Swiss Polar Day 2024
2024-09-12 | University of Fribourg, Bd de Pérolles 90, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
The Swiss Polar Day 2024 took place in Fribourg. This event is the annual gathering of the Swiss polar science community and includes national and international keynotes, networking opportunities and updates on recent developments in polar research.
Presentations
Welcome – Katharina Fromm, Rector of University of Fribourg, Hubertus Fischer and Björn Dahlbäck, Co-Chairs of the SPI Science & Technology Advisory Board
Keynote Frozen memories of past eruptions reveal the global risks of future ones – Michael Sigl, University of Bern
Presentation of APECS Switzerland – David Touchette, EPFL & Elizaveta Sharaborova, EPFL/SLF
Open Forum – Morning session
Open Forum – Afternoon session
SPI News
International collaborations Antarctica InSync: Taking the pulse of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica – Alexander Haumann, AWI
Keynote Ice and snow from space – How satellite data help us monitor climate and the cryosphere – Anna Maria Trofaier, European Space Agency
Acquiring satellite data for research – Claudia Röösli, Swiss National Point of Contact for satellite images, University of Zurich
Keynote Extreme sailing and climate research during the Vendée Globe race – Oliver Heer, Oliver Heer Ocean Racing, Thomas Frölicher, University of Bern, Samuel Jaccard, University of Lausanne

Opening & welcome – Danièle Rod, SPI

Welcome address – Katharina Fromm, Rector of University of Fribourg

Katharina Fromm, Rector of University of Fribourg

Hubertus Fischer, SPI STAB Co-Chair

Hubertus Fischer & Björn Dahlbäck, Co-Chairs of the SPI Science & Technology Advisory Board (STAB)

Keynote speaker Michael Sigl, University of Bern

Presentation of APECS Switzerland by David Touchette (EPFL) & Elizaveta Sharaborova (EPFL/SLF)

Open Forum presentation – Bastien Ruols, UNIL

Open Forum presentation – Petra Heil, University of Tasmania, visitor SLF/WSL

Open Forum presentation – Stephane Aebischer, Forel Heritage Association

Open Forum presentation – Geunwoo Lee, University of Bern

Open Forum presentation – Grace Marsh, EPFL

Open Forum presentation – Jonathan von Oppen, University of Basel

Open Forum presentation – Sara Rohr, University of Bern

Open Forum presentation of the PAMIR SPI Flagship Initiative – Martin Hoelzle, University of Fribourg

Open Forum presentation GreenFjord SPI Flagship Initiative – Lisa Bröder, ETH Zurich

Basil Fahrländer (SPI) introducing the afternoon session of the Open Forum

Open Forum presentation – Sergi González-Herrero, SLF

Open Forum presentation – Lucie Malard, University of Lausanne

Open Forum presentation – Noah Steuri, University of Bern

Open Forum presentation – Max Polzin, EPFL

Open Forum presentation – Carmen Siegenthaler, ALPS Museum

Open Forum presentation – Ilaria Santin, ETH Zurich

Open Forum presentation – Maxi Castrillejo, University of Lausanne

Open Forum presentation – Kathrin Naegeli, University of Zurich

Open Forum presentation – Marc Nicollerat, HES-SO

Keynote speaker Alexander Haumann, Alfred-Wegener-Institut

Keynote speaker Anna Maria Trofaier, European Space Agency

Claudia Röösli, University of Zurich

Keynote speaker Oliver Heer, Oliver Heer Ocean Racing

Keynote speaker Samuel Jaccard, University of Lausanne

Keynote speaker Thomas Frölicher, University of Bern

Keynote speakers Samuel Jaccard (UNIL), Thomas Frölicher (UniBe) and Oliver Heer (OHOR) with Danièle Rod (SPI)

Closing remarks by Björn Dahlbäck, SPI STAB Co-Chair

Download the high-resolution poster for printing (63.3MB)
Download the poster for sharing digitally (1.4MB)

Impact du dérèglement climatique en zone alpine
2024-09-19 15:00 - 19:00 | Résidence de France, Sulgeneckstrasse 44, Bern, 3007, Switzerland
L’Ambassadrice de France en Suisse, Mme Marion Paradas, en coopération avec le Département fédéral des affaires étrangères et le Swiss Polar Institute, a le plaisir de vous inviter à une conférence-débat portant sur le thème
Impact du dérèglement climatique en zone alpine
Le jeudi 19 septembre 2024, à partir de 15h
à la Résidence de France
Sulgeneckstrasse 44 – Berne
Programme
15h00 : café d’accueil
15h30 : mot d’accueil par Madame Marion Paradas, Ambassadrice de France en Suisse et au Liechtenstein, et Madame Alexandra Baumann, Ambassadrice et Cheffe de la Division Prospérité et durabilité du DFAE
15h45 : conférence sur la cryosphère alpine :

Jean-Baptiste Bosson, Membre du Conseil National pour la Protection de la Nature
Daniel Farinotti, Professeur et glaciologue à l’ETH Zurich

16h30 : pause-café
17h00 : table-ronde « Eau et risques dans les régions de haute altitude : impact des dérèglements climatiques »

Florence Magnin, Chercheuse au laboratoire EDYTEM, Université Savoie-Mont-Blanc
Martin Proksch, Chef de la section appui gestion intégrée des risques (AGIR), Canton du Valais
Florent Arthaud, Chercheur à l’Office français de la biodiversité et maître de conférences, Université Savoie-Mont-Blanc
Mauro Fischer, Chargé de cours et collaborateur scientifique à l’Université de Berne

18h00 : conclusion par Michael Wenger, CEO de Polar Journal
18h10 : cocktail
Modération par Danièle Rod, directrice du Swiss Polar Institute
Les échanges se dérouleront en français.
Inscription obligatoire avant le vendredi 13 septembre 2024
Pour tout renseignement, prière de contacter :
Olivier Blanchet, Chargé de mission Scientifique et Universitaire, Ambassade de France en Suisse et au Liechtenstein

"Greenland. Everything changes" exhibition
2024-10-25 - 2026-08-16 | ALPS Swiss Alpine Museum, Helvetiaplatz 4, Bern, 3005, Switzerland
ALPS Swiss Alpine Museum presents a major new exhibition that delves into the heart of the transformations defining our era and examines disruptions, dilemmas, and contradictions Greenland and its inhabitants are experiencing at present.
The cinematic exhibition explores the current big issues of climate change, globalisation, tourism, energy transition, to name a few. Immersive projections serve as a counterpoint to around thirty filmed interviews with Greenlanders whose voices invite visitors to reflect on daily realities, challenges and shared experiences. The installation also places a particular focus on the vibrant local music scene.
A varied programme of accompanying events will provide further insights and will allow to (re)discover the richness of the perspectives shown in the exhibition.
Duration: 25.10.2024-16.08.2026
More info: https://www.alps.museum/en/exhibitions/greenland

Photos © ALPS Museum / Gian Suhner, all rights reserved. The “Greenland. Everything changes” exhibition is supported by the Swiss Polar Institute and the Swiss Polar Class educational programme as project and event partners.

SPI Flagship Initiatives: Info Event 1
2025-02-06 15:00 - 16:00 | Online
During this 1-hour online information event the Swiss Polar Institute will present details of the second call for proposals for the SPI Flagship Initiatives. Participants will have the opportunity to ask specific questions regarding the programme and the application procedure.
SPI Flagship Initiatives are multi-annual programmes combining science and technology projects from different disciplines and different groups / institutions in Switzerland around a polar focus region. The funding will focalise on field campaigns (logistics, safety, etc.), data management, outreach, and programme coordination, thus providing temporary infrastructure for a Swiss-led polar research programme.
The call for proposals will open on 3 February 2025, with a detailed call document published on the SPI webpage.
In order to allow everyone interested to participate, the information event will be held twice, on Thursday 6 February and Tuesday 11 February at 15:00 (GMT+1).
If you are interested in participating, we kindly ask you to register for your preferred date.

Photo credit: © 2024 Maxi Castrillejo, all rights reserved

SPI Flagship Initiatives: Info Event 2
2025-02-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Online

reProjecting Science - Si les glaciers ne revenaient pas
2025-03-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Le Nucléo – Vortex (UNIL), Route de Praz Veguey 29, Chavannes-près-Renens, 1022, Switzerland
reProjecting Science aims to share unique documentaries and delve deeper into their subjects through vivid discussions with filmmakers, experts and the audience.
Inspired by the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, the 1st edition of reProjecting Science will explore the science around glacier preservation and the hidden challenges related to cultural heritage, indigenous communities and gender roles.
The events are free of charge, open to anyone and bilingual English/French.
Si les glaciers ne revenaient pas
(audio FR / sub EN)
Panelists for the discussion:
– Yves Magat (film director and journalist)
– Gaëtan Morard (film co-author and director of the Musée valaisan des Bisses)
– Saskia Gindraux (glaciologist, scientific collaborator at CREALP)

https://swisspolar.ch/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/trailer___si_les_glaciers_ne_revenaient_pas_______if_the_glaciers_do_not_return-720p.mp4
CC License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

reProjecting Science - The Color of Ice
2025-04-16 18:00 | Le Nucléo – Vortex (UNIL), Route de Praz Veguey 29, Chavannes-près-Renens, 1022, Switzerland
reProjecting Science aims to share unique documentaries and delve deeper into their subjects through vivid discussions with filmmakers, experts and the audience.
Inspired by the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, the 1st edition of reProjecting Science will explore the science around glacier preservation and the hidden challenges related to cultural heritage, indigenous communities and gender roles.
The events are free of charge, open to anyone and bilingual English/French.
The Color of Ice
(audio EN / sub FR)
Panelists for the discussion:
– Christopher Shields (protagonist in the film and engineer at GEUS)
– Rachel Barbara Häubi (climate journalist, SwissInfo & Géopolitis RTS)
– Horst Machguth (glaciologist, professor at UNIFR)

Images d'une beauté terrifiante / erschreckend schöne Bilder - Exposition
2025-05-02 - 2025-06-29 | Fondation suisse / Pavillon Le Corbusier, Boulevard Jourdan 7k, Paris, 75014, France
The exhibition presents a series of abstract colourful images created by the students from the Fachklasse Grafik Luzern in collaboration with the University of Zurich. These images provide an overview of the effects of climate change that can be observed or experienced all around us. Exhibited on the windows of the Pavillon Le Corbusier, they invite us to join the conversation between our changing environment, climate science and the arts.
Vernissage: 5 May 2025 at 18:00, Fondation suisse / Pavillon Le Corbusier, 7k Boulevard Jourdan, 75014 Paris, France (registration recommended here).
Free entrance & open daily from 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00.
This version of the exhibition in French benefitted from the generous support of Présence Suisse and Fondation Oertli, and is presented in partnership with Fondation suisse, Embassy of Switzerland in France, Fachklasse Grafik Luzern and the University of Zurich.

reProjecting Science - Picture a Scientist
2025-05-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Le Nucléo – Vortex (UNIL), Route de Praz Veguey 29, Chavannes-près-Renens, 1022, Switzerland
reProjecting Science aims to share unique documentaries and delve deeper into their subjects through vivid discussions with filmmakers, experts and the audience.
Inspired by the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, the 1st edition of reProjecting Science will explore the science around glacier preservation and the hidden challenges related to cultural heritage, indigenous communities and gender roles.
The events are free of charge, open to anyone and bilingual English/French.
Picture A Scientist
13 May, 2025 (audio EN / sub FR)
Panelists for the discussion:
– Frédéric Herman (rector and professor at UNIL)
– Additional speakers to be confirmed

Conducting fieldwork as guests in the postcolonial Arctic
2025-06-10 16:00 - 17:30 | Alpole, Route des Ronquos 86, Sion, Valais, 1950, Switzerland
On 10 June, SPI welcomes Yvon Csonka, anthropologist and former professor at the University of Greenland.
“Nowhere a ‘no man’s land’”: in what political, historical, cultural and ethical contexts do southern researchers insert themselves, whatever their discipline and topic, when in the field? The presentation, followed by a discussion, will provide an introduction to the inhabited Arctic.
This event is specifically designed for early-career researchers from all disciplines to learn more about the various challenges of fieldwork, and most importantly, how to navigate around them.
The event will be followed by a networking drink.
Location:

on site, SPI Reading Room, Alpole, EPFL Valais Wallis Campus, Sion
online

Watch the presentation on YouTube:

Illustration image: Arctic peoples by language families, compiled by W.K. Dallmann, Norwegian Polar Institute & P. Schweitzer, University of Alaska Fairbanks, all rights reserved.
