Three iC3 researchers elected to the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research

Three iC3 researchers have been recognised at the highest level of polar science. Petra Langebroek, Pedro Duarte and Philipp Assmy have been elected as members of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research. 

The Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research is the only scientific academy in the world dedicated entirely to the polar regions. It brings together leading experts from many disciplines to advance research, support education, and inform decision makers about environmental change in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Founded in 2008 and based in Svalbard, the academy promotes international collaboration and sustainable development in polar regions. Membership is by nomination and is reserved for researchers with a strong track record in advancing polar science.

Picture from left to right: Pedro Duarte (credit: Olaf Schneider, Norwegian Polar Institute), Philipp Assmy (credit: Philipp Assmy) and Petra Langebroek (credit: Andreas Graven and Petra Langebroek)

Petra Langrebroek: Modelling ice sheets and their impact on carbon futures

Petra Langebroek is a research lead in iC3’s work on ice sheet modelling. Her research focuses on how ice sheets have evolved in the past and how they will respond to future climate change.

At iC3, Petra works with Earth system models to understand how melting ice sheets influence the global carbon cycle. This work is central to predicting future climate pathways.

She explains: “Ice sheets respond slowly, but their impact lasts for centuries.”

Her work sits at the heart of iC3’s mission to connect ice sheet change with global climate systems. It also highlights the importance of long-term thinking in climate science and policy.

Pedro Duarte: Modelling fjords, sediment and the ocean 

Pedro Duarte is an assistant research lead in the iC3 modelling team. His work bridges modelling, marine ecology and oceanography.

Pedro develops tools that combine observations and models to track how carbon moves between ice, ocean and atmosphere. This helps scientists understand how polar regions influence the global climate system.

“We need to connect data and models across disciplines,” Pedro says.

His research shows how new technologies, such as advanced simulations, can transform our understanding of polar environments.

Philipp Assmy: Studying life in a changing polar ocean

Philipp Assmy leads research on marine ecosystem feedbacks at iC3. His work focuses on phytoplankton and their role in the carbon cycle.

Phytoplankton form the base of polar food webs and play a key role in absorbing carbon dioxide. Philipp studies how their growth and composition change as the Arctic warms.

His field-based work, including studies in Svalbard fjords, reveals how complex and variable these systems are. He believes that “small changes at the base can reshape the whole ecosystem.”

His research connects biology, chemistry and physics.