Engaging in Polar Research in Longyearbyen, Svalbard

By Jondall Norris ‘25

Navigating the world of polar science and research

Jondall poses with a team member while on a boat out at sea.

I spent this summer doing research on signal processing and geophysical measurement techniques in polar science.

UNIS is an extension of the Norwegian university system in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. They specialize in research and education on Arctic sciences such as biology, geology, and geophysics.

Projects:

FINIS cruise campaign in June
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) operations and data analysis
Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Research Group on Polar Regions (GRIMP) at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec
Analysis of airborne radar data over frozen lakes

This work was a great introduction to the world of polar research, as well a taste of what working in academia might look like. I had an amazing time meeting researchers and graduate students working in this field, getting to participate in field work, and then following through in the office with data processing and analysis.

Internship funded by the Peter Buck Internship Fund.

Published October 16, 2024