Arctic Circle VIRTUAL
A Dialogue with Markus Rex and Antje Boetius, Leaders of the MOSAiC Expedition: the Largest Arctic Expedition in History
27 October
08:00 am EST/12:00 GMT
Moderated by Jan-Gunnar Winther, Director of the Center for the Ocean and the Arctic
Markus Rex
Prof. Dr. Markus Rex is the expedition leader of MOSAiC. He leads the section „Atmospheric Physics“ of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Germany and is a professor for Atmospheric Physics at the University of Potsdam. He studied Physics, Meteorology and Geophysics at the Carolo- Wilhelmina-Universität Braunschweig and at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. Dr. Rex graduated from Göttingen in 1993 with a degree in physics. He later received his PhD from the Free University in Berlin in 1997 and habilitated at the University of Bremen in 2013. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific papers and received multiple awards for his research on the polar climate system.
Antje Boetius
Prof. Dr. Antje Boetius is a polar and deep-sea researcher and director of the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research. She studied Biology and Oceanography in Hamburg and San Diego and received her doctorate in deep-sea microbiology in 1996. Antje Boetius has participated in over 50 expeditions on international research vessels. She has received a number of renowned national and international awards. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and was granted the Communicator Award by the Stifterverband and the German Research Council in 2018 as well as the German Environmental Award.
Jan-Gunnar Winther
Jan-Gunnar Winther is the Director of the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, Nofima & Specialist Director at the Norwegian Polar Institute. He has a Ph.D. (and M.S.) from the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH). Dr. Winther is Chair of the Board of GRID Arendal (since 2017). From 2005 to 2017 he served as director of the NPI. In 2017 he became an Adjunct Professor at École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL) and he was Adjunct Professor at the University Centre in Svalbard from 2002-2007. Dr. Winther was leader course at the Norwegian National Defense College in 2003 and 2013.
Dr. Winther serves on a number of national and international committees and delegations including deputy chair of the Norwegian Government’s Expert Committee on Northern Regions Policies, national expert to the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings, Lead Author on IPCC’s AR5, member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, the World Economic Forum, United Nations Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, expert to the High Level Panel on Sustainable Blue Economy and the Explorers Club.
Q&A
All questions directed to the speakers were posted by participants, either before or during the event.
MOSAiC online:
MOSAiC Expedition on Instagram
Reading Material:
The Barents Observer: Expedition shares scary photos from the North Pole
JONAA: MOSAiC Expedition following the path of the 1893 Nansen Expedition
Arctic Today: Thinner than expected Arctic sea ice has been a challenge for MOSAIC researchers
High North News: Arctic Mosaic Expedition overcomes logistical challenges from Covid-19
European Space Agency: MOSAiC Arctic Expedition reaches North Pole
Business Insider: I was trapped on a boat in the Arctic...here is what it was like
The New York Times: After a year in the Ice, the biggest-ever Arctic science mission comes to an end
Markus Rex on MOSAiC at the 2019 Arctic Circle China Forum:
Antje Boetius on Tipping Points at the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly:
Science Spotlight at the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly: Phone Call to the MOSAiC Expedition