This year, the 7 week course ran from mid April to end May, and consisted of several lecture days, computer practicals, snow-scooter and walking-based field trips, and a safety training course. This year there were 13 students – 8 Masters and 5 PhD students joining from all over Europe.
The UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Geology leaders, Grace and Kim (on sabbatical), lead this annual course. By running early enough in the year, before extensive snow melt, the snow-scooter field trips are a particular highlight for both staff and students. The three full-day trips saw the party covering 300 km to the northeast and southwest of Longyearbyen, and witnessing over 400 million years of exciting geology, including volcanic events, sedimentary basins, mountain building events, changing sea-levels, and a few furry animals as well (birds, reindeer and foxes).
