Member of the German parliament (Bundestag) visits Bremerhaven
30 March 2011. Eckhardt Rehberg, member of the German parliament (MdB), visited Bremerhaven on March 29th. Rehberg is particularly interested in cross-departmental integration of marine science and maritime economy. Therefore he visited the Research and Development center located in Bussestraße in Bremerhaven, where representatives of the Alfred Wegener Institute and the IMARE reported amongst other aspects on the scientific work, the research platforms and infrastructures of the Alfred Wegener Institute, and technology transfer. A highlight was the following tour to the recently dedicated centre for aquaculture research (ZAF). The photo shows MdB Eckhardt Rehberg (second from the left side ), together with (from left to right): head of the ZAF, Dr. Adrian Bischoff-Lang, head of IMARE, Prof. Dr. Oliver Zielinski, and the representative for technology transfer at the Alfred Wegener Istitute, Dr. Eberhard Sauter. (Photo: Maike Thomsen, Alfred Wegener Institute)
Workshop with young scientists from climate research disciplines in Bremerhaven
29 March 2011. 70 young scientists from all diciplines of climate research hold a workshop today and tomorrow at the Alfred Wegener Institute Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany. They report about their work within the regional climate initiative REKLIM - a consortium of eight research centres within the Helmholtz Association. The programme also includes poster sessions as well as exchange among each other and with senior scientists.
The Climate Initiative REKLIM approaches seven cnetral questions, including for example: How does the climate evolution depend on the interaction between atmosphere, ocean, ice and land surfaces? How large are the losses of the continental ice masses (in particular of Greenland) and how does the sea level react on melt water run-off and ocean warming? How will the magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events change in a future climate? You can find further information about the climate initiative REKLIM here...
Porf. Peter Lemke in German Radio Bayrischer Rundfunk
25 March 2011. A 40 minutes broadcast about the polar regions was sent in the radio programme of Bayrischer Rundfunk (BR, Germany) on March 20th 2011. In the focus: the contrast between historical expeditions described in the literature and modern polar research. Prof. Peter Lemke, head of the climate research devision at the Alfred Wegener Institute, represented the latter. Besides reporting about the current situation he also tells about the beutiful landscape in the polar regions, which he has experienced during several expeditions. You can listen to the contribution (in German language only) in this podcast of BR here. Further information is given on this website of BR.
Regular change at the head of the Senate Commission for Oceanography
16 March 2011. Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte hands over the chair of the Senate Commission for Oceanography of the German Research Foundation (DFG) after a six years premiership today. The succession will be announced on the second day of the Commission meeting that takes place in Kiel from March 16th to March 17th.
The commission supervises the German research vessels Meteor and Maria S. Merian, reviews the proposals for ship time, and assigns research times to successful applicants. Under the leadership of Alfred Wegener Institute's director Lochte the Senate Commission suggested new constructions of research vessels and accompanied the development of marine research in Germany with strategy papers. Furthermore the commission is the contact for international panels in the field of marine research like SCOR (Scientific Committee of Ocean Research), the European Marine Board and others. The 19 members meet biannually. They represent all German institutions conducting marine research, and are appointed by the DFG, which designates the chairman, too.
Arctic Conference in the German Federal Foreign Office
9 March 2011. On March 17th and 18th the Second International Conference "Arctic Science, International Law and Climate Change - Legal Aspects of Marine Science in the Arctic Ocean -" is hosted by the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. The director of the Alfred Wegener Institute Prof. Karin Lochte moderates the topics block on current and future science in the Arctic. The head of the division of climate sciences Prof. Peter Lemke participates in this block with a lecture. The head of the logistics department Dr. Uwe Nixdorf presents the Alfred Wegener Institute's infrastructures such as the research vessel Polarstern and the aircraft Polar 5 and reports about the international cooperations.
High-ranking politicans and scientists are going to discuss the consequences of the fundamental changes that are taking place in the arctic region. The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association coordinates the German polar research and supports the conference with its scientific and logistic expertise. Further information is given on the website of the Federal Foreign Office including the conference programme.
Telemedical assistance during surgery on RV Polarstern
9 March 2011. A crew member of RV Polarstern got an apendicitis during a research cruise in Antarctica. The ship's doctor conducted the necessary surgery with assistance from Bremerhaven, Germany: A doctor from Bremerhaven hospital monitored the anaesthesia via telemedicine. This was the first case of emergency with telemedical consultation on board the German research vessel.
30 Years of Research in Antarctica
3 March 2011. Germany has full voting rights within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) for 30 years now. The basis for a nation to become a Consultative Party is to demonstrate interest in Antarctica by carrying out substantial scientific activities in the area south of 60° S. The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research runs several research stations in Antarctica, including the year round manned Neumayer Station with its meteorological, geophysical, air chemistry, and acoustic observatories. You can find more information on the anniversary on the website of the German Federal Environment Agency...