Scott Polar Research InstituteSPRI Review 2008
Polar Research
Research Group Structure
The research work of the Institute continues to focus around its research groups, each of which has a mix of senior academic staff, post-doctoral researchers and postgraduate students. During 2008, the Arctic Ocean Geopolitics Group was established, led by Dr Paul Berkman. The activities of this group are collaborative with the Judge Business School, and reflect the growing political and economic interest in the Arctic circumpolar coasts and seas. The work of the groups is supported by a number of externally funded research grants, which are listed below. In addition, the Institute contributes to the NERC Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (in collaboration with UCL and Bristol University). The groups are:
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- Glaciology and Climate Change
- Glacier-Influenced Marine Sedimentary Environments
- Polar Landscapes and Remote Sensing
- Polar Social Science and Humanities
- Circumpolar History and Public Policy
- Arctic Ocean Geopolitics
Institute staff organise seminar series in both polar physical sciences and social science and humanities. Speakers from universities and research centres in the UK and overseas, together with Cambridge colleagues, have contributed during the year. The seminars are well attended by staff and research students from a number of Cambridge departments and from, for example, the British Antarctic Survey. A selection of the physical and social science research projects in which we are currently engaged is outlined briefly below.