“Diving into Antarctic Science - Making Waves for the Future”
SCAR Open Science Conference theme, 2026.
Members of the Antarctic Sea Ice Switch (ASIS) team joined New Zealand and international polar researchers at the SCAR Open Science Conference in Oslo, Norway in August 2026. This event, held every two years, is a cornerstone event for the international Antarctic research community. It provides a unique opportunity to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, identify high-priority scientific questions, and strengthen the global networks needed to address the complex challenges facing Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
This year's conference in Norway was the largest SCAR meeting to date, reflecting the strength and vitality of the Antarctic research community worldwide. Discussions repeatedly highlighted the urgent need for climate change mitigation, with Antarctic sea ice decline, future sea-level rise, and ecosystem health vulnerabilities emerging as key themes across many sessions. There was also a strong emphasis on strengthening the interface between science and policy, ensuring that the latest research can effectively inform decision-making.
It was wonderful to see such a strong ASIS presence at the conference. ASIS researchers delivered an impressive range of presentations showcasing the high quality, relevance, and impact of their work, while forging new collaborations and helping shape future international research priorities.
Co-authored Presentations
Eleven presentations (oral and poster) were co-authored by members of our team. You can read the abstracts here.
Paleo-Climate Studies
- Last Interglacial Climate and Ice‑Shelf Stability in the Ross Sea: Insights from the RICE Ice Core
- Early Antarctic Cold Reversal Conditions Recorded in the Roosevelt Island (RICE) Ice Core
- Revealing the link between East Antarctic climate and Southern Ocean productivity over glacial-interglacial cycles
- Identifying West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat using sediment provenance records
Social Sciences
- The Antarctic Treaty System and the BBNJ Agreement: on a collision course?
- Mātauranga Māori in Antarctic science - A New Zealand Indigenous Perspective
Ecosystems
- Linking phytoplankton diversity with bio-optical properties in the Ross Sea
- SCARFISH: a new SCAR Action Group to coordinate Antarctic fish research
- Extending the satellite-based estimation of primary production by sea ice algae
- Autocorrelation and affordability: how subsampling can help the SCAR Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey to endure and expand
- Southern Ocean Fish Modelling: A Community-Led Review of Approaches, Tools and Future Directions
