OVERVIEW OF CZECH ACTIVITIES IN THE ARCTIC REGION

Polar research activity in the Czech Republic takes place predominantly at the following

renowned institutions:

1) Centre for Polar Ecology (CPE), Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in

České Budějovice (JU), https://www.prf.jcu.cz/cpe

2) Three faculties of Masaryk University in Brno (MU) and its ARCTOS MU research

centre:

- Faculty of Social Studies, Department of International Relations and European

Studies

(https://mve.fss.muni.cz/)

- Faculty of Science, Department of Experimental Biology; Institute of Geography

(http://polar.sci.muni.cz/)

- Faculty of Law, Department of International and European Law

3) Julius von Payer Institute for Arctic and Subarctic Research (PAYER), Faculty of

Environment, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem,

https://www.fzp.ujep.cz/institut-julia-von-payera

4) Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (FES

CZU)

(https://www.fzp.czu.cz/en)

Below is an overview of the three basic types of activities:

I. SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY (strong research background)

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II. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY (special niches)

AND ECONOMIC IMPACT (business value – investment)

III. POLICY (strong presence in several organizations)

I. SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES :

In 2007–2022, the staff of the Centre for Polar Ecology (CPE) have been involved in a

total of 11 international and 24 domestic scientific and educational projects (see

https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/science/projects.html). The total funding during this period

has been in the range of CZK 300 million. In recent years, each year more than 150

visitors from the Czech Republic and other countries have participated in the winter and

summer Arctic activities based out of the Czech "Josef Svoboda Station" in Svalbard (a

detailed list of these activities can be found at

https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/documents.html). In 2017, researchers from the following

institutions spent time at the Czech Svalbard station: Dartmouth College (US),

Høgskulen i Sogn og Fjordane (NO), Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics (Czech

Academy of Sciences), Institute of Botany (Czech Academy of Sciences), Institute of

Oceanology (Polish Academy of Sciences), Institute of Soil Biology (Czech Academy of

Sciences), University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Krkonoše National Park,

Masaryk University in Brno, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, National

Institute of Polar Research (JP), Institute of Parasitology (Czech Academy of Sciences),

Queen’s University Belfast (UK), Swiss Federal Research Institute (CH), Sheffield

Hallam University (UK), Slovak Organization for Space Activities (SK), Adam Mickiewicz

University (PL) , University of Algarve (PT), University of British Columbia (CA),

University of Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague, UiT - The Arctic University

of Norway (NO), UNIS - The University Centre in Svalbard (NO), Palacký University in

Olomouc, University of Silesia in Katowice (PL), University of Veterinary and

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Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno (CZ), and the Western Norway University of Applied

Sciences (NO).

The Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure – “Josef Svoboda Station” – in Svalbard

(University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice as a co-researcher) and the Czech

Antarctic Research Infrastructure – Johann Gregor Mendel Base – on James Ross Island

in the Antarctic (Masaryk University in Brno as a main researcher) have received

operational funding under the following projects: Czech Polar Research Infrastructure –

CzechPolar2 (the Project of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, project ID

LM2015078, funding provided in 2016-2019) and ECOPOLARIS (Operational

Programme for Research, Development and Education, funding provided in 2017-2021).

Starting from 2020, the University of South Bohemia and Masaryk University have

provided the funding from their own budgets only. Approximately one third of the funds

required for the operation of the station of the University of South Bohemia in Svalbard

is paid by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. Due to the Covid-19

pandemic in 2020 and 2021, all projects are implemented to a very limited extent.

The Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in

České Budějovice currently participates in the following research projects:

a) EU HORIZON 2020 – project: EU-INTERACT (International Network for

Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic)

b) EU HORIZON 2020 – project: EU-PolarNet2

c) Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports– project: CZECH-INDIAN

COOPERATIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

d) University of Helsinki, Finland - project: LIFEPLAN

(https://www.helsinki.fi/en/projects/lifeplan)

Masaryk University currently participates in the following research projects:

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a) Geopolitical and security challenges relating to the impact of climate change in

the Arctic,

b) The establishment of the interdisciplinary ARCTOS research centre (The Arctic

Centre for Human-to-Environment Oriented Studies at Masaryk University) to

investigate the impact of climate change on the natural environment and

population in the Arctic,

c) SVALUR (Understanding Resilience and Long-Term Environmental Change in

the High Arctic: Narrative-Based Analyses from Svalbard).

d) boREALIFE – a project examining the social, economic and environmental

changes related to High Arctic overheating, financed from the EU funds.

An overview of the Centre for Polar Ecology's publications and presentations is regularly

published at https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/science/publications.html.

The Arctic region is undergoing rapid climate-related changes. At the same time, it

offers opportunities for industrial development including mineral extraction, more

intensive fishing, and the expansion of maritime shipping.

Julius von Payer Institute of the Faculty of Environment, UJEP currently carries out

the following basic research projects:

a) UJEP SGS: Subarctic Undisturbed Regions — Transdisciplinary Utility Research

(SURTUR).

b) UJEP-SGS: EEPORUSS – Environmental Economics & Policy Research of the Russian

Subarctic Region.

c) INTERACT EU 2020: Environmental Response to Climate Change – from cell to

landscape level.

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FES CZU currently carries out the following project: Environmental Archeology in

Iceland with future research cooperation in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The Centre for Polar Ecology is active mainly in the following fields:

1. Microbiology and Algology

2. Zoology, Parasitology and Infectious Biology

3. Botany and Plant Physiology

4. Research in Physical Geography

Microbiology: basic research; potential development of cold-loving biotechnologies to

support the development of human settlements in the Arctic. Urbanization and creation

of longer-term sustainable human settlements in the Arctic are two of today’s most

important scientific challenges. The Centre for Polar Ecology studies low temperature

biotechnology and the biotechnological potential of photosynthetic microorganisms

(cyanobacteria and microalgae) adapted to survive at low temperatures. These

cyanobacteria and microalgae are producers of biologically valuable substance used in a

wide range of economic activities (treatment and purification of drinking and sewage

water, pharmaceutical industry and medicine, livestock nutrition including marine

aquaculture, human nutritional supplements, etc.). This research is a natural outgrowth

of more detailed and longer-term ecological and physiological study of photosynthetic

microorganisms living in polar regions. The Czech Arctic Research Station in Svalbard

provides opportunities for the development of this type of research including pilot

testing environment. Cold-loving strains of cyanobacteria and microalgae have been

stored and studied in laboratories in the Czech Republic for a long time.

Zoology and Parasitology: basic research; targeted research into zoonotic impacts on

human health and the general economy. The impact of existing parasites on wild

animals, domesticated animals (such as sled dogs and horses) and on introduced animals

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(such as Far Eastern voles) has been monitored for a long time. Certain of these

parasites are zoonotic transmitters of diseases to humans. Biological research into

infectious diseases involves virology (tick- and mosquito-borne arboviruses, bird-borne

zoonotic viruses). Study of the life cycles of parasites in the marine environment

provides, among other things, critical information on how parasites impact the

commercially exploited fish populations. Knowledge of the common occurrence of

parasites in existing Arctic fish species and new fish species moving north as a result of

global warming can be of great economic importance.

Botany and Plant Physiology: botanical research focuses on global carbon cycles and the

impacts of the climate change which are particularly dramatic in the Arctic regions.

Since the Last Glacial Period, huge amounts of permafrost carbon dioxide have

accumulated in the subarctic tundra. The current permafrost thaw is causing the old

organic matter to decompose faster, releasing larger amounts of greenhouse gases

(carbon dioxide and methane) into the atmosphere. As a result, this part of the Arctic

accelerates the global increase of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. On the other hand,

the High Arctic, which had been glaciated in the past, in now becoming deglaciated and

colonized by new vegetation ("Arctic greening"). As a result, carbon dioxide

sequestration through photosynthesis is higher than ever before. Our botanical

researchers have been studying these plant growth and sequestration processes (at all

levels) in the High Arctic ecosystem for a long time. Due to the absence of detritivorous

communities of soil organisms, scientists assume that this newly created Arctic organic

debris will not decompose quickly. Fixed organic matter is likely to accumulate in the

soil, eventually forming a thick organic layer and sequestering significant amounts of

previously atmospheric carbon into the soil of the ecosystem. In such a situation, the

High Arctic, unlike many subarctic regions, will tend to act more like a "sink"

(consumer) of greenhouse gases, which in turn could slow down global warming.

Physical Geography and climate change in the Arctic: measurement of climatic

parameters including UV-B radiation in the Arctic's Billefjorden Bay area of Svalbard,

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the site of most Czech and international research projects using the Czech Arctic

research infrastructure. The activity is provided by the University of South Bohemia and

Masaryk University in Brno under the SIOS (Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing

System) programme. There are also follow-on projects focused on longer-term climate

reconstruction and development in the central part of Svalbard.

Science at Masaryk University:

One of the leading research centres focusing on interdisciplinary Arctic research is the

ARCTOS MU: ARCTIC Centre for Human-to-Environment Oriented Studies (ARCTOS) at

Masaryk University (MU),

https://www.muni.cz/en/research/projects/54447. The Centre focuses on the impact of

climate change and human activities on the natural environment in the Arctic.

Furthermore, the research specifically includes both the challenges and risk assessment

in terrestrial ecosystems. The research team investigates the relation of natural

environment changes to the human-to-environment interaction, as well as the

consequences for the geopolitical, legal and security developments in the Arctic region.

Based on gained findings, the team develops risks analysis and recommendations for

mitigating the impact of environmental changes on the natural environment and

population in the specific Arctic territories. The Centre also (i) contributes to

encouraging interdisciplinary innovative research with high added value and

international impact, (ii) enhances the prestige of the Arctic-related research, and (iii)

increases international cooperation. The ARCTOS is Directed by Dr. Barbora Halašková.

The research team at the ARCTOS is composed of eight scientists with different

specialization from three faculties of the Masaryk University – Faculty of Social Studies,

Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Law. The Centre also serves as a platform for

enhancing future interdisciplinary research and international scientific cooperation.

The Department of International Relations and European Studies conducts Arctic

research from the social sciences perspective. As the Arctic research leader, Ms.

Halašková studies mainly international relations in the Arctic (relations between state

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and non-state actors, international organizations, geopolitical issues, security and

defence, international cooperation, etc.).

A research report containing a comprehensive overview of the current policies of

individual Arctic and non-Arctic states was prepared by B. Halašková (née Padrtová) and

Z. Trávníčková in 2017 for the use of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Americas

Department). This research report provides, among other things, shorter and longer-

term recommendations for the Czech Republic's political decision-making in respect of

the Arctic region. More information can be found at: http://www.iir.cz/article/region-

arktidy-aspekty-politicko-bezpecnostni-ekonomicke-a-vedecko-vyzkumne.

The Institute of Geography and the Department of Experimental Biology of the Science

Faculty of Masaryk University conduct both research in and offer courses on

geosciences and biological sciences. The focus is on the Antarctica, but the Arctic is

included as well. Including both regions helps improve the sharing of know-how as well

as cost-efficiency. Both the Institute and Department are part of the ARCTOS MU

Research Centre. One of the word leading experts in this field is prof. Miloš Barták.

Julius von Payer Institute (Faculty of Environment, UJEP) is currently addressing

the following key topics:

a) Research on not very affected subarctic areas (SURTUR). There are several sub-

objectives of the research: Study of mining history – historical mining of mineral

resources in Iceland, research of plant/animal interactions of Icelandic Miocene

communities, research of the arcto-alpine tundra of Central Europe for comparison with

the Arctic tundra of the European North, paleoenvironmental and paleoecological

reconstruction of the Arctic tundra. A great success is the publication of the original

professional monograph POKORNÝ R., FIALOVÁ V., GRÍMSSON F., KOUTECKÝ V.

(2021): Mineral Resources in Iceland. Coal Mining. CSP Publishing, Newcastle upon

Tyne, UK, ISBN: 978-1-5275-6717-7.

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(b) Ichnological research of island regions in order to identify the basic types of

paleoecosystems in the fossil record of an archipelago which can be considered as an

analogy to the paleoenvironment prevailing in Iceland during the Tertiary period.

Macaronesia was chosen as the model area. Another intention is the reconstruction of

ecosystem links using a fossil record (especially ichnofossils), a significant contribution

to the knowledge of colonization and development of fauna and flora of the region in the

Cenozoic.

c) Environmental economic-political analysis of the Russian Subarctic (EEPORUSS) is

devoted to the identification and monetization of ecosystem services in the conditions of

the Russian north, economic-political analysis of current developments and trends in

natural resource extraction in the Russian Arctic and associated environmental impacts,

research and comparison of peatlands in Central Europe with the peat bogs of the

Russian Subarctic, focusing on the evaluation of economic damages or benefits in the

event of their disruption and drainage.

Science at FES CZU:

Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserová (PDW) has conducted research on atmospheric research

in Iceland and atmosphere-cryosphere interactions in the Arctic since 2011 (under CZU

since 2014). CZU is part of the Icelandic Aerosol and Dust Association (IceDust,

https://icedustblog.wordpress.com/) which was established by PDW and has 88 members

from 33 institutions of 15 countries. There are about 40 scientific papers written by

PDW on the arctic/antarctic air quality and climate implications

(https://icedustblog.wordpress.com/publications/). PDW was a fellow of the Nordic

Centre of Excellence for Cryosphere-Atmosphere Interactions in a Changing Arctic

Climate (CRAICC) in 2011-2016 and is currently a steering committee member of the

Regional Center for the WMO SDS-WAS (World Meteorological Organisation on

Sand/Dust Storm Warning Advisory Assessment System) for NAMEE (North Africa –

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Middle East – Europe) to promote High Latitude Dust (HLD) dust forecasting

(https://sds-was.aemet.es/).

The main focus in research is on the High Latitude Dust/Black carbon impacts on the

atmosphere, cryosphere, climate, and environment. We monitor:

- air quality (particulates) at four locations in Iceland, and Antarctica, after COVID in

Svalbard and Greenland

- light absorbing impurities impacts (dust, Black Carbon) on Arctic cryosphere

(snow/ice)

- impacts of dust on clouds in the Arctic

- radiative properties of HLD

- long range transport of HLD

- identifying new HLD sources in Polar Regions

- extreme events in the Arctic

- contributing to the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) report

Projects:

GACR junior, 20-06168Y - The role of High Latitude Dust in changing climate, 2020-

2022

BLACK project (EU-Interact H2020, 2018-2020,

https://arcticresearch.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/about-us-2-our-finnish-icelandic-czech-

swedish-personal-bio/)

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Environmentální archeologie na Islandu/Environmental Archeology in Iceland s plány

rozšíření výzkumu do Grónska a na Faerské ostrovy/with future research cooperation in

Greenland and Faroe Islands.

A new research group is being formed at the CZU Faculty of the Environment under the

leadership of Prof. Chrastný, which focuses on research into the Arctic load of inorganic

pollutants. In the first solved project financed from Norwegian financial mechanisms

(7F14330, A new methodological approach for identification of industrial pollution:

Isotope fingerprinting and bacterial community changes, 2014-2017) led by Prof.

Komárek, a group of researchers discussed the possibility of isotope tracking of

industrial metal pollution in the Arctic (Kirnekens, Norway). The interest of the

Norwegian side was motivated by the operation of a metal smelter in the city of Nikel,

the Russian Federation, which is a major source of not only sulfur oxides but also metal

pollutants.

In the next phase, the group deals with Arctic pollution and mapping of possible sources

of contamination within the GAČR project (GA19-15405S, Global Cd and Pb isotope

signal in the Pan-Arctic: influence of local and distant sources, 2019-2021, the

researcher is Prof. Chrastný). In the original plan, numerous sites in the Arctic were

included in the project. But with the current development of the SARS-COV-19 pandemic

situation, the Svalbard site, near the administrative centre of Longyearbuyen and

Iceland, was sampled only once, in the spring of 2020. Snow and lichens are sampled to

identify near and distant sources of possible contamination of the area. Newly, the

metohod using cadmium isotopes is tested. In the current situation, the solution of the

project is in the phase of sample processing and acquisition of the first data. The

planned trip to the interior of the island with the aim of defining cleaner sites that will

not be affected by hard coal mining in the area, has not yet been implemented.

In the future, close cooperation is planned with the University of South Bohemia in

České Budějovice, where this cooperation began within the project, not only in the field

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of pollution research, but also in the field of polar ecology of mammals and birds, lower

and higher plants. The already concluded memorandum also included cooperation in the

field of teaching students and the possible solution of diploma and doctoral theses.

Primary directions of Czech polar research:

Czech scientists are involved in numerous longer-term research projects contributing to

the activities of three working groups of the Arctic Council. The focus areas are the

environment, climate change and their socio-economic impacts.

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP):

For almost fifteen years, Czech researchers have been measuring key climatic

parameters, including UV radiation, in the central part of Svalbard (Petunia Bay, the

northern branch of the Billefjorden Bay); the collected data are contributed to

international databases monitoring the warming of the Earth (Masaryk University,

University of South Bohemia).

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF):

a) Initial changes to soils after deglaciation (“Arctic greening”) in Svalbard and on

the Ellesmere Island (CA-CZ project, University of South Bohemia.

b) Glacial microbiology and the ecology of glacial organisms (University of South

Bohemia).

c) Coastal waters ecology (NO-CZ project, University of South Bohemia).

d) Carbon circulation and sequestration in the High Arctic's terrestrial ecosystems

(University of South Bohemia).

e) Survival strategies of selected organisms in winter (University of South

Bohemia, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences).

f) Migration of Arctic birds (University of South Bohemia).

Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG):

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a) Pathogen invasions (diseases) in the Arctic (University of South Bohemia).

b) Development of bioprospection and biotechnologies at low temperatures

(University of South Bohemia, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of

Sciences).

c) Geopolitical and security challenges associated with the impact of climate

change (Masaryk University interdisciplinary project).

d) Establishment of the Masaryk University's interdisciplinary ARCTOS research

centre – examining the impact of climate change on the natural environment

and inhabitants in the Arctic.

e) SVALUR (Understanding Resilience and Long-Term Environmental Change in

the High Arctic: Narrative-Based Analyses from Svalbard).

f) boREALIFE – a project examining the social, economic and environmental

changes related to High Arctic overheating, financed from the EU funds.

II. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ECONOMIC IMPACT:

The range of research and educational activities reflects the capacities of Czech

Arctic research:

Teaching and research activities are closely interlinked. The Centre for Polar Ecology

teaches the following regular courses: BE / 263 Polar Ecology, KBE 265 Polar Ecology

(inanimate systems) – fieldwork, KBE / 265 Polar Ecology (animated systems) -fieldwork,

KBO / 323 Polar Microbiology and Astrobiology, KBO / 325 Introduction to Polar

Ecology, KBO / 326 Winter Arctic Ecology. Members of the CPE staff also teach polar

ecology courses at Charles University and at the Czech University of Life Sciences in

Prague. Detailed research and course reports can be found on the Centre's website:

(https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/documents.html). Another important component of the

Centre's work is to provide guidance to students writing polar-related bachelor's,

master's and doctoral theses. The students come mostly from the Science Faculty of the

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University of South Bohemia, but also from other faculties (for example: the Faculty of

Health and Social Studies), other Czech universities (Charles University and Masaryk

University) and also European universities (University of Konstanz, Linz University,

University of Algarve, etc.).

Economic importance of Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure:

Czech science has the potential to contribute to all main research activities in the Arctic.

Through its research and educational activities, the Centre for Polar Ecology trains

professionals with expert knowledge of the region. This may help and encourage Czech

companies to increase their presence in the region namely in sectors such as energy,

shipbuilding, mineral extraction, construction, engineering, information and

communication technologies, exports, tourism, and research and development. Recent

activities of the Centre in this area include its participation in the University of South

Bohemia’s scientific and cultural project "DOMA NA ŠPICBERKÁCH" ("At Home in

Svalbard"), which took place on 21 August – 13 September 2018 on the occasion of the

100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, the 25th anniversary of the

independent Czech Republic, and the 10th anniversary of the beginning of regular

research stays of Czech scientists in Svalbard. This 2018 project was followed by the

Arctic Festivals in 2019–20 and 2020–21 (for an updated programme, see

https://arktickyfestival.cz/).

Educational activities at Masaryk University:

MU offers a number of university courses related to the polar region, starting with those

at a bachelor's level and continuing up to those at a doctoral level. These courses are

taught in both Czech and English. Courses are offered by the Social Studies Faculty, the

Science Faculty and the Law Faculty: Arctic Geopolitics (IRE201), CEE-Russian Energy

Relations (ESS425), Energy Security of Russia and Asia (MEB414), EU Policies

(EVS107), External Dimensions of the EU Energy Policy (MEB425), NATO and European

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Security (MVZ123), US Energy Policy: Development and Challenges (MEB411),

International Public Law (MP803Z), International Law of Treaties (D1MEV12),

Sovereignty and Subjectivity in International Law (D3MEV16), International Law in

International Tribunals and Domestic Courts (SOC031), Polar Plant Biology (Bi0321),

Polar Geosciences (Z8005), Geography of Polar Regions (Z5099), Glaciers of the Earth

and Methods of Their Research (Z8051), Past, Present and Future Changes of the

Cryosphere (ZX603).

Educational activities at FES CZU:

Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserová (PDW) at the CZU: teaching air pollution courses

focusing on the Arctic air pollution.

Guest teacher at the Agricultural Uni of Iceland and Uni of Iceland: courses Air pollution

and mitigation, Atmospheric chemistry, Environmental issues at the Arctic edge, several

field courses in Iceland.

CZU has organized the HLD Workshops since 2016

(https://icedustblog.wordpress.com/past-events/), an IASC Workshop in 2019.

CZU participated/was invited to the Arctic Science Summit Weeks 2017 and 2019.

III. POLICY

The Czech Republic has representation on several international organizations involved

in the coordination of Arctic research.

International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)

i) Josef Elster (University of South Bohemia) represents the Czech Republic on the

IASC Council; from 2015 to 2018 he was the vice-chair and from 2019 to 2021 the chair

of its Terrestrial Working Group. Since March 2021 Miloš Barták (Masaryk University)

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represents the Czech Republic in this working group.

https://iasc.info/iasc/organization/council/council-members, https://iasc.info/working-

groups/terrestrial

ii) Oleg Ditrich (University of South Bohemia) represents the Czech Republic on the

IASC Marine Working Group. https://iasc.info/working-groups/marine

iii) Kamil Láska (Masaryk University) represents the Czech Republic on the IASC

Atmospheric Working Group. https://iasc.info/working-groups/atmosphere

iv) Barbora Halašková (Masaryk University) represents the Czech Republic on the IASC

Social & Human Working Group and since 2021, she is its vice-chair.

https://iasc.info/working-groups/social-human

v) Marie Šabacká (University of South Bohemia) represents the Czech Republic on the

IASC Cryosphere Working Group. https://iasc.info/working-groups/cryosphere

University of the Arctic (UArctic)

i) A cooperative network of universities, colleges, research institutes and other

organizations with an interest in promoting education and research in the Arctic region.

The Czech Republic is represented by Josef Elster (University of South Bohemia) and

Oleg Ditrich (University of South Bohemia).

ii) Barbora Halašková (Masaryk University) represents the Czech Republic on the

UArctic Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security.

Forum of Arctic Research Operators (FARO)

The Czech Republic is represented by Václav Pavel (University of South Bohemia) and

Alexandra Bernardová (University of South Bohemia).

Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS)

The Czech Republic is represented by Barbora Halašková (Masaryk University).

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International Science Initiative in the Russian Arctic (ISIRA)

The Czech Republic is represented by Barbora Halašková (Masaryk University).

The United States National Science Foundation sponsors „Arctic-

FROST„ (Arctic FRontiers Of SusTainability: Resources, Societies,

Environments and Development in the Changing North)

The Czech Republic is represented by Barbora Halašková (Masaryk University).

Representation at many international Arctic scientific conferences:

Notable recent activities include the Arctic Science Summit Week – ASSW organized

by the Centre for Polar Ecology in Prague on 31 March – 7 April 2017 . CPE has

organized several other conferences: Polar Ecology Conference (2012), Polar

Ecology Conference (2014), 6th International Conference on Polar and Alpine

Microbiology and Polar Ecology Conference (2016) (see

https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/science/international-activities.html). The Centre's staff

also provides information on the Arctic to the media:

https://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/cpe/press.html.

Professor Miloš Barták (MU), in cooperation with the Czech Antarctic Research

Programme (CARP), organized an international online workshop on " BIOSCIENCES IN

POLAR AND ALPINE RESEARCH 2020" in Brno on 19 November 2020.

Contact information for identified Arctic region experts:

Prof. Josef Elster, PhD., Chairman of the Board of the Czech Arctic Scientific

Infrastructure "Josef Svoboda Station" in Svalbard, Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of

Science, University of South Bohemia, jelster@prf.jcu.cz

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Dr. Barbora Halašková, Director of the ARCTOS MU Research Centre, Department of

International Relations and European Studies, Masaryk University in Brno,

halaskova@fss.muni.cz

Marie Šabacká, PhD., Head of the Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science,

University of South Bohemia, sabacka.marie@gmail.com

Ing. Richard Pokorný, PhD., Head of Julius von Payer Institute for Arctic and Subarctic

Research, Faculty of Environment, J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem,

richard.pokorny@ujep.cz

Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserová, PhD., Post doc at the Department of Water Resources

and Environmental Modeling, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Life

Sciences Prague, waldhauserova@fzp.czu.cz

Prof. RNDr. Vladislav Chrastný, Ph.D., Professor at the Department of Environmental

Geosciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Life Sciences Prague,

chrastny@fzp.czu.cz

28 April 2021

Josef Elster, Barbora Halašková, Marie Šabacká, Richard Pokorný, Pavla Dagsson-

Waldhauserová, Vladislav Chrastný

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