Program for Overseas Visits by Young Researchers
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sei-Ichi Saitoh (Hokkaido University)
Background
The emerging environmental issues in the Arctic and its adjacent areas have recently been attracting public attention as issues for common efforts by international society. However, an understanding of the mechanism driven by climate change is insufficient to establish a holistic understanding of the Arctic system. It requires a trans-disciplinary grasp of the impacts of Arctic environmental changes on society, politics and the economy. As such, it is inevitable that a general yet comprehensive understanding of the cascading feedbacks of Arctic ecological changes across a wide range of points of view will be required. This is why it is equally important to encourage and forge international cooperation among researchers who can contribute to solutions for Arctic issues. In addition, it is crucial to advance actions to cultivate and fortify collaborations involving various stakeholders, such as government and industry. Therefore, it is indispensable to actively engage the next generation of young researchers who share a concerted field of vision in addressing Arctic concerns well beyond the borders of government, industry and academia.
Overview of the Activity
We will dispatch highly competitive young researchers from our country to overseas research organizations dealing with Arctic studies. Consequently, this will advance our expertise on the focus of Arctic research through the acquisition of techniques and the co-production of knowledge.
Research themes on the Arctic include the disciplines of practical sciences such as engineering, agriculture and medicine as well as the natural and social sciences. We will support foreign travel for periods from half a month up to a year, and encourage the implementation of diverse research activities. Specifically, we will support research activities that involve the following: (1) short-term plans to participate in an international conference on Arctic studies, such as ASSW (Arctic Science Summit Week), and visits to research organizations related to Arctic studies; (2) visits for data acquisition and sample analyses; (3) visits to explore novel fields of Arctic studies, including but not limited to the implementation of innovative research approaches; and (4) visits to conduct regional comparative studies. We will also clarify the importance of the overseas visit program and facilitate its realization by arranging pertinent orientations before the visit and by conducting follow-up discussions. Likewise, we will plan to establish knowledge, maintain research networks and further reinforce activities by creating opportunities to present the outcomes of studies. Young researchers who have been dispatched to overseas institutions will plan briefing sessions carried out under the ArCS program and the like to share with the ArCS researchers the knowledge and connections they acquired through international networking.
ArCS Blog
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: Gravity waves generated by a cyclone over the Arctic polar front (March 19, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: Life in Fairbanks, AK (March 18, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: 1st Southern Hemisphere Conference on Permafrost & Post-Conference Field Trip (March 18, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: My stay at Potsdam Alfred Wegener Institute (March 17, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: Participation in WMMC’19 (March 17, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: Grateful days in Bremen: Start-up of ‘Palynochemistry Project’ (February 07, 2020)
- Report of the FY2019 program for overseas visits by young researchers: Geographical distribution of water bears (Tardigrada) in snow and ice in Arctic region (January 31, 2020)
