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Another Successful Trip to the Arctic Circle Assembly

The International Polar Foundation was again present and active at the annual Arctic Circle Assembly and accompanying Arctic Circle Business Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland from October 17th-19th.

Aymar de Lichtervelde presenting about the water treatment system at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica zero-emission polar research station

The International Polar Foundation was again present and active at the annual Arctic Circle Assembly and accompanying Arctic Circle Business Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland from October 17th-19th.

One of the International Polar Foundation’s board members, former EU Arctic Ambassador and Egmont Institute Senior Fellow Marie-Anne Coninsx, participated in a high-level panel discussion organised by the Egmont Institute on Thursday, October 17th entitled “Navigating the New Arctic: The Role of Non-Artic State in Shaping the Future”. The panel also featured Arctic Economic Council Director Mads Qvist Frederiksen, an academic perspective from Andreas Østhagen of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, and representatives from the foreign ministries of Finland, Japan, Ireland, and Germany.

Additionally, IPF systems engineer Aymar de Lichtervelde, a multi-year veteran of the Belgian Antarctic Research Expeditions (BELARE) and one of the engineers who co-designed the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica’s new water treatment system, took part in a panel discussion co-organised by Battelle, Arctic Trucks and ArkTiKa on Friday, October 18th. The panel, “Emerging Technologies for Better Human Health and Safety in Remote Polar Regions” was an opportunity for Aymar to showcase how the first (and to date only) zero-emission polar research station goes above and beyond the Madrid Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty System when it comes to treating and reusing wastewater.

During the three days of the assembly, Aymar also manned a booth exhibiting a scale model of the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica’s new water treatment system on the second floor of the assembly’s main venue, Harpa. Aymar gave several mini-presentations to attendees who were curious to learn more about the groundbreaking innovative water treatment system and other solutions used at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica to reduce the environmental footprint of conducting polar research. With a few thousand people in attendance, it was an excellent opportunity to showcase what IPF is capable of achieving!

Testing radar

A Strong Start for Science This Season

Field expeditions for the FROID and ULTIMO projects are off to a strong start, with other scientific projects stopping by the station this week.

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LTAFA 2024 award ceremony Siu-Tsiu winner

Third Laurence Trân Arctic Futures Award Goes to Greenlandic Social Enterprise Supporting Youth

On December 3rd, on the second day of the annual Arctic Futures Symposium, the International Polar Foundation (IPF) and the Trân Family handed out the third Laurence Trân Arctic Futures Award to Siu-Tsiu, a non-profit social enterprise based in Greenland that employs and upskills marginalised young people to help them find work, pursue further education, give them a sense of community and give them a sense of purpose in life.

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Arnoux Beaked Whale in Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica.

IPF Team Sights Rare Arnoux Beaked Whales While on Mission at the Coast

The Unicorn of the Ocean, Arnoux Beaked Whales spotted by 2 members of our team.

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AFS 2024 banner better

Arctic Futures Symposium and Many Side Events Coming to Brussels Next Week!

From December 2nd until December 4th, the International Polar Foundation and its many Arctic stakeholder partners will host the 15th annual Arctic Futures Symposium at the Residence Palace in Brussels’ EU Quarter, along with several interesting Arctic side events at other locations.

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Scientists from the VUB and ULB collecting meteorites in the field

VUB and ULB Mission to Antarctica: Unveiling the Secrets of Climate History and the Solar System

The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), in collaboration with the International Polar Foundation (IPF), are launching two ambitious scientific expeditions to Antarctica. Their mission: to gain new insights into Earth’s climate history and the evolution of our solar system by studying ancient ice layers and meteorites.

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The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica a few days after opening for 2024-2025 BELARE campaign.

The 2024-2025 BELgian Antarctic Research Expedition (BELARE) has officially begun with opening team hard at work!

The first 14 members of the BELgian Antarctic Research Expedition (BELARE) are off to a strong start opening and preparing the station for the arrival of scientists in the coming days. 

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Part of the contemporary portion of the MAS exhbition 'To the Antarctic'.

"To the Antarctic" Exhibition at MAS Closes but Leaves Behind Great Memories and Many Successes

The MAS exhibition 'To the Antarctic' welcomed more than 45,00 visitors over the 4.5 months that it was open to the public. 

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Aymar de Lichtervelde presenting about the water treatment system at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica zero-emission polar research station

Another Successful Trip to the Arctic Circle Assembly

The International Polar Foundation was again present and active at the annual Arctic Circle Assembly and accompanying Arctic Circle Business Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland from October 17th-19th.

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A view of Bodø, Norway from above.

Arctic Futures Symposium 2024 Fast Approaching!

The latest edition of the annual Arctic Futures Symposium organised by the International Polar Foundation and its many Arctic stakeholder partners will take place in early December. Register to secure your spot!

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Alain Hubert receiving the 2024 Belgica Prize from Prof. Roland Souchez

Remembering Roland Souchez

IPF is sad to learn of the passing of glaciologist Professor Roland Souchez, who made important contributions to the fields of glaciology and climate science during his decades-long career.

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