Niamh Doherty, Aberdeen University, was part-funded by the Arctic Travel and Partnerships Fund to undertake a glaciology field course in Svalbard as part of her PhD studies. Read about her experiences below:

New Year’s Day 2026. This began for me at Edinburgh Airport, heading north to Svalbard and into 24 hours of polar night. Supported by the ScAN Arctic Travel and Partnership fund, I attended the AG-825 PhD Glaciology course, led by Professor Andy Hodson at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), during January and February 2026. This was my second visit to Svalbard; previously, I spent six months there in 2022 studying Arctic geology through the ERASMUS+ programme while completing my bachelor’s at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS).

I recently started my PhD at the University of Aberdeen, focusing on glacier surging and its impact on surface mass balance. The glaciology course provided key insights for starting my PhD, covering the thermal regimes of Svalbard’s glaciers, their influence on hydrology and ice dynamics, including surging behaviour. Coursework encompassed lectures and fieldwork, guided by a range of guest glaciologists. The first two weeks also included the AS-101 Arctic Survival and Safety course, which offered scenario-based training in polar conditions, including sea-ice, glacier, and avalanche rescue.

Our initial field trips occurred during the polar night, requiring headtorches for taking fieldnotes. Despite limited natural light, fieldwork was not hampered; it continued underground, studying subglacial meltwater channels.

As daylight returned, activities moved to the surface, including ground-penetrating radar surveys from snowmobiles to analyse the internal structure and thickness of the Drønbreen glacier. We conducted firn coring to examine surface-refreezing melt layers and glacier thermal characteristics, working in air temperatures below -30°C, whilst the ice cores pulled from the glacier required quick, efficient analysis before they cooled from their warmer temperatures up to -2°C in the cold air. We also studied glaciers’ winter hydrology, focusing on proglacial ice formations and analysing their geochemistry to trace the source.

A highlight was a trip to Rindersbukta, known as ‘Surge City,’ and a 175 km snowmobile journey to observe active surging glaciers of Scheelebreen and Paulabreen. These glaciers have recently advanced rapidly into the fjord, creating dramatic, heavily crevassed surfaces. Witnessing glacier surge behaviour firsthand was remarkable.

This experience greatly contributed to my PhD and allowed me to connect with other early-career global glaciologists. I particularly enjoyed the class ski touring trips on weekends, illuminated by headtorches, skiing various glaciers and mountains during the polar night. Overall, this trip was invaluable, providing practical skills, insights, and future research connections.