DC1 ALESSANDRO CUZZERI OCTOBER 23 - MARCH 24
Month 13: (April 2024) – New experimental plan for the main research hypothesis (alpine air metagenomics).
Month 14: (May 2024) – Fresh re-start of analyses of cryoconite amplicon data. Planned a collaboration with DC4/Aarhus University in the context of pesticide-microbiology analysis.
Month 15: (June 2024) – Biostatistics GLMM (Bayesian/TMB) implementation in own analyses. Presentation of the project to the University Doctoral Network on Alpine Biology and Global Change
Month 16: (July 2024) – Literature research, biostatistical analyses.
Month 17: (August 2024) – Sampling campaign at Forni Glacier jointly with DC4. Analysis of Illumina data from Antarctic settings (Lake Untersee). Preparations for Lake Untersee 2024 Scientific Expedition.
Month 18: (September 2024) – Preparations for Lake Untersee 2024 Scientific Expedition. Literature research, biostatistical analyses.
DC6 Klara Köhler MAY 24 - OCTOBER 24
Month 13: In May 2024, I spent a lot of time preparing for the fieldwork, i.e. preparing and packing the scientific equipment and meeting with the team to plan our work in the field. I also participated in an AI workshop for academic research and writing at our department and joined the first planning meetings for fieldwork in 2025.
Month 14: In June 2024, I spent most days in the lab conducting nutrient analysis for samples for my first paper. The samples were incubated sediment-water samples from 2022, taken in Greenland, and I looked into the nutrient concentration dissolved in the water and bound to the sediment. I also completed the PhD course ‘Science Teaching’ at our campus in Aarhus.
Month 15: July 2024 was filled with our field work in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, where I stayed for three weeks. I took basal debris (debris transported with the ice, melting at the margin of the glacier out of an almost black band on the glacier (see photo)), proglacial sediment, rock and water samples at the margin of the Russell Glacier close to Kangerlussuaq. Further, I had the chance to take additional water samples along the river and the Kangerlussuaq Fjord.
Month 16: In August 2024, we organised the transport of the frozen and cooled samples back to Denmark. I also started analysing the data from the lab session in June 2024, attended department meetings and took over the chair of our Equality and Diversity Committee for the next ~6 months.
Month 17: In September 2024, I wrote my progress report for our PhD school. In parallel, I started writing my first paper and started reviewing the written parts with the co-authors. For three days in September, I participated in the PhD course ‘Gender in Science’ at Malmö University, where I prepared a presentation and a written report in addition to the course days. At the end of September, I helped organise our PhD Bundle Meeting, a meeting for all PhD students in our department.
Month 18: In October 2026, I finalised the progress report for the PhD school. One week in October, our IceBio network meeting took place in Copenhagen, where we learnt about writing skills, outreach and advisory work. At the end of October, I attended the Nordic Branch Meeting, an annual conference of the Scandinavian branch of the International Glaciological Society (IGS).
