NEED FOR OUTREACH  

It is critical for scientists to communicate results and ignite excitement.  The network-wide training in “communication toolkits” within ICEBIO will explore the ways ICEBIO can take its results out of the ivory tower and into homes, schools, and private sector boardrooms. Life on glaciers and ice sheets captivates the public imagination because of its links to climate change, sustainability of life during the Snowball Earth period, connections to possible life on other extraterrestrial cold bodies, as well as practical aspects, such as the biotechnological potential of the use of cold adapted organisms in the new green revolution.

ICEBIO DCs will become Marie Curie Ambassadors in schools and the wider community, conducting outreach activities (talks and hands-on demonstrations), as well as writing articles in clear, accessible language with interesting graphics to inform the general public, school children, interest groups, policy makers, the media, stakeholders, and potential end users.  As ICEBIO fellows engage in Outreach activities, details will be provided here. 

VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE

ICEBIO DCs regularly update their Instagram page here with information about their fieldwork and other activities. Some posts are in multiple languages.

23 April 2024

ICEBIO DC Lea Francomme (EPFL) gave a tour of her local laboratory to a vistor without any scientific background. Léa introduced her to the different facilities of the lab with a focus on the ones to be used for her PhD such as the microscopes and the climatic chambers. She also explained to her the type of material needed for fieldwork and how samples are preserved from degradation after sampling.

March 2024

DC 11 Julien Cergneux gave an interview for the Swiss Polar Institute which will be used in their education program. For more information:  https://polar-class.ch/

22 March 2024

DC 12 Léa Francomme (EPFL) gave a talk to three groups of 13 year old  pupils from her former school named Collège Saint-Joseph in Romilly-sur-Seine, France. This presentation was entitled « Climate change, Glaciers and Microorganisms ». Léa introduced pupils to the effects of climate change on the glacial biome and the aim of ICEBIO in this context as well as an easy explanation of her work in this context.

6 March 2024

DC10 Nasim Kashiri (Brill) gave an online presentation to people within the company who attended the Science Week event. Over 20 people attended the event. Nasim spoke about her background, the earth's cold environments, microorganisms of glacial environments and her ICEBIO research project. The presentation was followed by questions from the group.

22 February  2024

DC1 Alessandro Cuzzeri (UIBK) and DC7 Marco Ajmar (GFZ) organised an outreach activity at Liceo Classico “Carlo Alberto”, Novara, Italy on Feb 22nd, 2024. The audience was composed of approximately 40 5th grade high school students and the presentation was done in Italian. The event title was: “Glacial Ecosystems and Climate Change: today’s situation and future perspectives” The two-hour presentation focused on three main themes: firstly, a scientific introduction to glacial systems, including the macro and microscopic communities they host and the diversity of habitats characterizing such systems, before moving on to their functionality and importance (DC1). The second part mainly addressed climate change, explaining what it is, how the IPCC operates, the most critical consequences of glacier melting, and the concept of sustainability (DC7). The third and final part was about orientation: discussing the DCs university paths, offering some important advice, explaining what it means to work in this field, and outlining job prospects in this sector. More information here. 

29 JANUARY 2024

DC12 Léa Francomme (EPFL) gave a talk to two groups of biotechnology students between 16 and 20 years old from her former high school named « Lycée Les Lombards » inTroyes, France. This presentation was titled « Climate change, Glaciers and Microorganisms ». She ntroduced students to the effects of climate change on the glacial biome and what is the aim of ICEBIO in this context as well as her PhD work in a bit more detail. She also explained to them how she ended up doing a PhD, what she studied etc. to give them an idea about what is possible to do with the diploma they will obtain.

22 December 2023

DC11 Julien Cergneux discussed glaciers, glacier-fed streams and life in them with a class in the Chamblandes high school (16-18 years old)  in Pully, Switzerland. During this 45-minute 'lesson' he  introduced the concepts of cryoshpere, microbial metabolism (chemolithoautotrophs, photoautotrophs, etc.) as well as the biogeochemical cycle (carbon cycle) and the importance of microbes in glacial regions for these cycles. He then explained to them about the IceBio network and how the network studies the polar and glacial regions from the atmospheric input to the output, in the GFS for example, via the different layers of the glacier and ice sheet (supra-, en-, subglacial environment). Finally, he took the opportunity to talk about his own research with a focus on fieldwork (Tajikistan and the Alps) in an attempt to encourage students to take an interest in this recently-recognised biome.

23 NOVEMBER 2023

DC7 Marco Ajmar worked with two high school interns at GFZ. He gave them a brief introduction to ion chromatography and they analysed some standards and samples from Iceland together.

21 NOVEMBER 2023

DC5 Anirban Majumder  explained sampling strategy from glaciers and microbial research in cold environments to 9th grade schoolchidren  from Humboldt-Gymnasium Potsdam (Robin and Vera). He performed and explained DNA extraction with them in the lab, and the students spent the entire day at the institute.   

19 September 2023

DC3 Annika Morische and DC6  Klara Köhler contributed to “Polar Week” for the social media channels (Instagram, X) of APECS (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists). Link. 

12 September 2023

DC8 Silje Waller Pedersen discusses the ICEBIO project, the kickoff training event, glacial microbiology and climate change with singer and songwriter Lauren from the Berry (https://theberry.bandcamp.com/track/nirvana) during a layover at Frankfurt airport on September 12.  Silje also showed Lauren a video taken during the ICEBIO glacier field safety training day.

08 MAY 2023

DC6 Klara Köhler started to collect contributions to the “Meet the team” series on Instagram, where the DC group is introduced. Link.