ARCTOS network

Water sampling, core slicing and setting up experiments © Marte Lundberg

Some of the PhD students at the ARCTOS Trainee School, together with a few ARCTOS members and supervisors at NCFS (March 2006) © NCFS

Arctic ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles and climate change in the anthropocene

• Link to scientific background for the trainee school
• Link to courses

Student recruitment and science trainee school

The ARCTOS trainee school was officially approved by the University of Tromsø (UoT) in October 2004, following a proposal from the Norwegian College of Fishery School (NCFS). The first officially registered ARCTOS PhD student started at the NCFS in January 2005. Several PhD students were already associated to the ARCTOS network, and by April 2005 the trainee school has 11 Norwegian and six international affiliated students. ARCTOS anticipates enrolling a total of 15 new PhD students in the trainee school, for which funding through research projects, support from commercial interests and the UoT is anticipated over the forthcoming 3-year period. The trainee school is organized within the Department of Aquatic BioSciences (IAB), NCFS, and nine senior scientists and post docs make up the core of the trainee school's local supervising and teaching resource. ARCTOS scientists from The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), Akvaplan-niva (APN), The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and UoT as well as invited foreign top scientists supplement the consortium of teachers and supervisors. The ARCTOS trainee school aims at elevating the quality of the PhD and post- doctoral education in marine Arctic system ecology (lower trophic levels) at the NCFS, UoT, and will contribute to increasing the quality of marine ecological research in Tromsø and in Svalbard. The school wishes to create a foundation for continuous and increasing research in the Arctic, supporting the ARCTOS network to be a leading consortium in the exploration of Norway's Arctic oceans. The ARCTOS network is the basis for the scientific training school and has strong international links, which will enhance the quality of the trainee school.

Regular training courses for all ARCTOS students (and eventually other students) on the effect of climate change on marine Arctic ecosystems, or supplementary topics, will be arranged every year. The first of these workshops convened in October 2003: "The bioproduction and energy transfer in the Nordic Seas, the role of key zooplankters in a system with rapid climate change". In spring and summer 2004 two additional courses on "Pelagic carbon flux in the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean" and "Multivariate statistics" were organized. For 2005 two workshops are planned: “Sea ice dynamics” and “Climate, food quality and survival in Polar systems”.

Recruitment of post docs

Bearing in mind that most of the senior ARCTOS members are in their early 50's or below, senior position in marine Arctic ecology will be difficult to obtain for the future generation of scientists in this field. Thus, not only sufficient recruitment of PhD students and good working conditions are necessary, but post doc positions are essential to maintain a minimum of the most gifted PhD candidates for a future career in marine Arctic ecology. ARCTOS will additionally argue for financial support for post-trainee school recruitment. It is anticipated to gradually increase the number of post doc positions to a minimum of five.

PhD quota programme for students from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and developing countries

• Grants and loans for students from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and developing countries
• See the University of Tromsø web for general information on the programme
• Information from Statens Lånekasse for utdanning (Norwegian text only)
• List of countries included in the programme
• Applicants need to make contact with ARCTOS scientists for discussion of possible PhD projects within the ARCTOS network, prior to submission of application. For questions, please contact arctos@nfh.uit.no
• Application must include a draft project description for proposed PhD

Student related web sites

• Nordic Marine Academy (NMA)
• NMA mobility grants
• NordForsk