Diving into Antarctic science: Meet iC3 at SCAR OSC 2026

Next week (10-14 August), the Antarctic research community gathers in Oslo for the 12th SCAR Open Science Conference (SCAR OSC 2026), the world's leading meeting dedicated to Antarctic and Southern Ocean science. Under the conference theme "Diving into Antarctic Science – Making Waves for the Future," researchers from around the globe will present the latest discoveries spanning climate, ice sheets, oceans, ecosystems, geology, and society.

The iC3 Polar Research Hub will have a strong presence throughout the week, contributing to workshops, scientific sessions, poster presentations and even public outreach events. From methane beneath Antarctic ice sheets to Southern Ocean circulation, groundwater, biogeochemistry and ice–ocean interactions, iC3 researchers will be helping shape discussions on some of the most pressing questions in polar science.

iC3 manager Terri Souster will also be present during the conference and can be reached at iC3manager@uit.no. Terri Souster has been part of the SCAR 2026 local organising committee.

Here's where you can find our researchers:

Monday 10 August

W15 – Multidisciplinary Southern Ocean methane research

16:00–17:30 at Frognerparken

iC3 researcher and co-convenor: Sarah Seabrook

iC3 PhD student Emeric Babut du Marès will be presenting his research on Methane beneath the ice sheet.

Tuesday 11 August

Tuesday is packed with iC3 science across two parallel sessions.

Session 29 – Southern Ocean Biogeochemistry: Linking ecosystem dynamics, nutrient cycling and carbon export in a changing climate

11:30-13:00 (block I), 14:00-15:30 (block II) and 16:00-17:30 (block III) at Jernbanetorget C

iC3 researchers and convenors: Sebastien Moreau, Onur Karakuș and Fanny Monteiro

iC3 researcher Sebastien Moreau will be presenting his research on Phytoplankton blooms in the Sea Ice Zone of the Southern Ocean.

iC3 PhD student Megan Lenss will be presenting her research on Sea ice controls seasonal phytoplankton cycles in the Southern Ocean.

iC3 researcher Sarah Seabrook will be presenting her research on Dynamic Methane Release in Antarctic Coastal Systems

Session 15 – Evidence and Importance of Antarctic Groundwater

11:30-13:00 (block I) and 14:00-15:30 (block II) at Hyde Park C

Convenors: Jill Mikucki (iC3 Scientific Advisory Committee member) and Sarah Seabrook (iC3 researcher)

iC3 researcher Sarah Seabrook will be presenting her research on Antarctic groundwater connectivity across the land-sea continuum.

Wednesday 12 August

While there are no oral iC3 presentations on Wednesday, be sure to visit the poster hall and Session 6 where iC3 rsearcher Tore Hatermann is co-convening.

Session 6 – Understanding Rapid Changes in the Atmosphere–Ice–Ocean Boundary of the Southern Ocean 

11:30-13:00 (block I) and 14:00-15:30 (block II) at Central Park B

iC3 researcher and co-convenor: Tore Hattermann

Poster session

17:30 – 19:30 at the Ballroom

Geosciences: Session 13: Past, Present, and Future of Antarctic Marine Grounded Basins

iC3 postdoc Peter Giertzuch will present his latest research on Subsurface fluid dynamics in the Amundsen Sea Embayment investigated through marine seismic data during the conference poster session.

Thursday 13 August

Thursday is another busy day for iC3 researchers, with presentations spanning ocean circulation, groundwater and ice-sheet processes.

Session 30 – Antarctic Biogeochemistry: Interactions Between Climate, Ecosystems, and Global Cycles

11:30-13:30 at Hyde Park C

iC3 PhD student Emeric Babut du Marès will be presenting his research on Past to Future Trajectories of Methane Hydrates Storage in Antarctic Sedimentary Basins.

iC3 Scientific Advisory Committee member Jill Mikucki will be presenting her research on Subglacial ecosystems across space, time, and redox gradients: insights from ancient DNA and modern microbial communities.

Session 7 – From Shelf to Deep Basin: Southern Ocean Circulation and Exchanges

11:30-13:00 (block I) and 16:00-17:30 (block II) at Jernbanetorget A

iC3 researcher and co-convenor: Tore Hattermann

iC3 Global scholar Britney Schmidt will be presenting her research on Basal Ice Morphology Across Antarctica.

Friday 14 August

Session 4 – Tropical Teleconnections and Antarctica in a Global Climate Perspective

11:30-13:00 at Central Park A

iC3 researcher and co-convenor: Petra Langebroek

Science beyond the conference

SCAR OSC is not confined to the conference venue. On 12 August, several iC3 researchers will participate in a public science evening at the National Library of Norway, bringing Antarctic research to a broader audience.

The programme includes:

• iC3 researcher Tore Hattermann (18:10) – The importance of ice shelves
• iC3 postdoc Onur Karakuş (18:50) – The role of icebergs in delivering iron to the Southern Ocean and its effects on phytoplankton growth
• iC3 PhD student Megan Lenss (19:10) – Can phytoplankton bloom in the dark?

The event highlights how Antarctic research extends beyond academia, engaging the public with questions about climate, ecosystems and the future of the polar regions.

See you in Oslo!

SCAR OSC 2026 promises a week of exciting science, new collaborations and lively discussions across disciplines. Whether you're interested in methane cycling, ocean circulation, ice-sheet dynamics, Antarctic groundwater or marine ecosystems, there will be plenty of opportunities to connect with iC3 researchers throughout the conference.

If you're attending the meeting, don't hesitate to stop by one of our sessions, visit the posters, or say hello between talks. We look forward to seeing you in Oslo as we dive into Antarctic science together.

More about iC3

The iC3 Polar Research Hub is a Norwegian centre of excellence based in Tromsø. iC3 members are spread across three leading Norwegian research institutions: UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the Norwegian Polar Institute, and NORCE.

Photo: iC3 members who will be present at SCAR OSC 2026. Credits (top right to bottom left): Emeric Babut du Marès (iC3), Marius Bratrein (NPI), Andreas Graven and Petra Langebroek (NORCE, iC3), Pål Jakobsen (NPI), Sarah Seabrook (NIWA, iC3), Jill Mikucki (UoTennessee, iC3), Janina Osanen (NTNU), Aman Akeerath Mundanatt (AWI), Fanny Monteiro (UoBristol, iC3), Peter Giertzuch (iC3), Terri Souster (iC3).