The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) is hosting its kick-off meeting at the Abisko Scientific Research Station, Sweden on the 22nd to 24th of February 2007.

PYRN (www.pyrn.org) is an international effort under the patronage of the International Permafrost Association (IPA) to bring young permafrost researchers together during the international polar year and beyond. The first phase of the PYRN project saw more than 300 young researchers from 31 countries join the network. It rapidly became the largest young researcher-driven network in the field of cryospheric science.

PYRN offers, news, information and support to its members. It has sent 17 monthly newsletters since its start in 2005, maintained a website with information on jobs, fellowships, graduate positions, and events related to permafrost research. It has initiated the first bibliography on theses completed in the field of permafrost and has created the PYRN award, which is granted every year to outstanding oral and poster presentations at international permafrost conferences.

A true bottom-up effort to raise the profile of young researchers during the IPY, PYRN hopes to build on the IPY momentum to establish important ties to the newly created APECS (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) and to go further in its activities by developing new projects and rising to new challenges.

The PYRN national representatives, coming from three different continents will meet for the first time in Abisko, Sweden. The kick-off meeting will focus on current issues in permafrost research and its relation to climate change and the necessary cross-border collaborations between young scientists to solve issues at the global level. It will suggest exploratory ways to strengthen international collaborations in permafrost science and gather energies around the organisation of future larger meetings involving the entire permafrost young community.

Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it