Photo: Anita Thorolvsen Munch
Senior Communication Advisor IPY-OSC secretariat, Kristen Ulstein- This is a bit of an emotional moment, Senior Communication Advisor at the IPY-OSC secretariat, Kristen Ulstein said, as he wished the audience welcome to their first day at the International PolarTEACHERS conference and APECS work shop.

Both the teachers and the early career scientists had gathered at the auditorium of Georg Sverdrups House at The University of Oslo, before moving on to separate workshops throughout the rest of the day.

- Seeing all of you pouring in at the Research Council yesterday, a year and a half after our initial meeting in February 2009, in Geneva, was a great feeling.

- We got here. This is it! Ulstein said, before introducing Director of the International IPY Program Office, Dr. David Carlson.

- I would especially like to thank Dr. Carlson for making the early connection between early career scientists and teachers, Ulstein said.

Right place at the right time
- There is nowhere I would rather be, than right here, right at this moment, David Carlson said to the audience.

- The results from all the polar research done throughout the IPY will be important in the next five years - and the next five years after that - and a long time after that, he said.

- That is why it is so important to be here with you, the young polar scientist that will continue boosting the polar research in the future, and you, the teachers that will make sure that the next generation researchers are cultivated.

- There is nowhere else on the planet where you find such clear climate signals as in the Arctic, which is why polar research is so important, Carlson continued.

He spoke about topics such as the recent arctic climate, sea ice thickness, ice sheets and sea level, permafrost and carbon and the West Australian drought.

- There is a continued urgency to do polar science, not to do so will have a real global impact, Carlson urged.

Photo: Kerstin Mertens/ Samfoto


The legacy
Upon answering a question from the audience of what he thought this IPY would be most remembered for in the future, he said:

- I think the IPY will be remembered for it's breadth. The topics range from social sciences to biology and oceanography.

- I also think that the researchers in the future will recognize IPY as the first real effort that actually succeeded in integrating research and outreach in the same program, and on the same budget, Carlson said.

Photo: Kerstin Mertens/ Samfoto
Karen Edwards introduced the Polar Resource BookPolar Resource Book
Karen Edwards, from the International IPY Program Office, presented the brand new Polar Resource Book, that the teachers would use all through their workshop, and bring back home to use in their daily work.

The Polar Resource Book  - Polar Science and Global Climate: An International Resource for Education & Outreach.  - was created to ensure that efforts catalyzed by IPY will continue to inspire educators, students, and emerging polar researchers into the next generation of young, international, polar researchers with a shared commitment to outreach and education.

- Behind this book is a very close collaboration between scientists and educators. There has been a true international effort behind the book as well, with editors from all over the world and not the least it has been an organic learning process, Edwards concluded.