Career Development

Promotion, education and fostering of young researchers

Manager: Shin Sugiyama (Hokkaido University)

An accurate understanding of the Arctic requires long-term research activities. For this reason, fostering the next generation of researchers is critically important. To achieve this mission, ArCS-3 operates various programs in collaboration with international organizations to support and mentor young researchers and graduate students. Our goal is to nurture researchers who will play a leading role in international research programs, such as IPY-5 (2032-2033).

We dispatch early carrier Japanese researchers and graduate students to the Arctic and overseas research institutions. This initiative will be developed into an exchange program, which provides opportunities for early career researchers and graduate students from overseas, including Arctic indigenous peoples, to study and conduct research in Japan. Summer and winter field courses are organized in Japan and abroad. Hokkaido University’s training vessel, Oshoro Maru, is used for training cruises in the Arctic Ocean. Sea ice and snow field courses are organized in Hokkaido, and a glacier field course takes place in the Swiss Alps. Furthermore, we offer the Arctic Studies Curriculum, which comprises lectures, training courses, and field programs. Existing programs of Hokkaido University and other institutions are developed and shared with students from Japan and abroad. In addition to the educational programs, the ArCS-3 project employs early-career researchers as specially appointed assistant professors to foster the development of leading Arctic researchers. Under the supervision of experienced mentors, they will develop their ability as international researchers through participation in international conferences and involvement with overseas research institutions. The experience will help them to demonstrate Japan’s presence and lead the global Arctic research community.

Our educational activities rely on cooperation with universities and institutions involved in ArCS-3, the use of research vessels and research bases, and collaboration with international organizations. We plan to offer our programs to UArctic member universities, nominate Japanese researchers for the IASC Fellowship Program, and implement educational programs that bring worldwide graduate students together. Our effort contributes to the future of the Arctic and the Arctic research community.

Lecture on polar marine biology by Prof. Wilhelm Hagen from University of Bremen
Snow field course in Moshiri, northern Hokkaido
Cryosphere modeling course by Prof. Thomas Schuler from University of Oslo
Student presentation during the Cryosphere modeling course
Hokkaido University’s training vessel Oshoro Maru.
Newly appointed Project Assistant Professor