Recap PYRN and Geo.X Workshop: Science Communication and Policy in Arctic and Permafrost Research

On 21 January, the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) hosted a pre-conference workshop for Early Career Scientists at the 16th DACH (German, Austrian, and Swiss) Permafrost Conference with financial support from the Geo.X network. Around 50 participants had the opportunity to get to know each other through welcome activities before the workshop continued with two focused sessions.

The first session, Permafrost Outreach, was led by Dr. Josefine Lenz from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam. In an interactive format, participants explored various approaches to science communication. Working in small groups, they designed outreach activities based on different combinations of formats - such as school visits or video contributions - and target audiences, including teenagers or social media users. This exercise encouraged creativity and highlighted ways to develop meaningful and engaging outreach projects. Dr. Lenz also shared insights into her professional career path, during which she became an award-winning science communicator.

The second session addressed the interface between science and policy, a field that often remains a “black box” for early-career researchers. Dr. Volker Rachold from the German Arctic Office presented Germany’s role as an observer country in the Arctic Council, an international body that addresses Arctic-related geopolitical issues. In addition, Dr. Mathias Ulrich from the Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environmental Agency) outlined the agency’s role in shaping and implementing climate targets, including the Paris Agreement. These presentations were followed by a lively and engaging panel discussion.

We would like to thank the Geo.X network for its financial support, which made this workshop possible. In addition to gaining valuable insights into science communication and policy, participants were able to expand their professional networks through the interactive workshop format. The workshop received great positive feedback from participants. This ECR workshop was organized by Dr. Maren Jenrich and Fabian Seemann from the Alfred Wegener Institute Potsdam, as well as Saskia Eppinger from PYRN Germany and TU München.