GLANAM (Glaciated North Atlantic Margins) aims at improving the career prospects and development of young researchers in both the public and private sector within the field of earth science, focusing specifically on North Atlantic Glaciated Margins (Figure 1). This Multi-Partner ITN comprises ten partner institutions, both academic and industrial, from Norway, UK and Denmark and will train eleven Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and four Experienced Researchers (ERs). The young scientists will perform multi-disciplinary research and receive training through three interconnected workpackages that collectively address knowledge gaps related to the large, glacial age, sedimentary depocentres on the North Atlantic Margin.
Filling these gaps will not only result in major new insights regarding glacial age processes on continental margins in general, but critically will have particular impact on the exploitation of hydrocarbons in glacial age sediments, notably the gas hydrate energy potential on the European continental margin, and will also provide paleoclimate information essential for understanding the role of marine-based ice sheets in the climate system and for the testing of climate model, an issue of increasing socio-economic relevance in the context of climate change.
GLANAM builds on the diverse expertise and experience of leading senior and junior scientists in the field of marine and glacial geology through the establishment of a training program offering a broad spectrum of components. These include career-oriented courses and tailored workshops in the areas of communication, enterprise, media relations and scientific writing, preparing the researchers for an increasingly demanding, pan-European job market. Intersectoral rotation and secondments hosted by our three industry partners will provide the fellows with complementary scientific training and allow them to establish and deepen contacts relevant to their work life beyond the ITN. Interaction of the GLANAM fellows with internationally renowned senior visiting scientists will provide significant added-value to their training and will complete the supply of knowledge and advice sources.
Understanding the evolution and nature of the glaciated margins of the North Atlantic is of considerable importance to European academia, industry and society. The sediments and landforms along these margins provide a record of past ice sheet activity as well as spatial and temporal variations in ice-ocean-climate interaction. Notably, in terms of climate research, they provide a direct link between the deep oceans and the ice sheets sourced in the interiors of the surrounding landmasses.
Further information:
Tove Nielsen tni@geus.dk