Our workshop during the 29. International Polar Conference
Last week, four of our board members attended the 29th International Polar Conference in Rauris, Austria! Prior to the conference, we organized, in collaboration with a group of Austrian Early Career Researchers (ECRs), a workshop that brought together 20 other ECRs from all over Europe to network and get to know each other before the main event. This interactive session aimed to support us young scientists interested in polar research with respect to finding a job in polar science. We invited Gerlis Fugmann (Executive Secretary of IASC) and Birgit Sattler (Professor at the University of Innsbruck), who shared their personal experiences and offered practical advice on navigating a career in polar science.
Our two panelists: Gelis Fugmann and Birgit Sattler
Gerlis began her academic journey with studies in Gießen and spent time abroad in Canada. During her PhD, she became involved with the APECS Executive Committee, which helped her build a strong professional network. She later moved to Canada for a postdoctoral position focused purely on research, but realized her passion lay more in project management and scientific outreach. This led her to become the APECS director, first in Tromsø and later in Potsdam, a role she held for six years. As she transitioned out of the early-career stage, she moved on to her current position as Executive Secretary for IASC, where she continues to focus on capacity-building for early career scientists.
Birgit’s has a focus on microbiology and limnology, with her entire career developing in Innsbruck, where she completed her studies, PhD, habilitation, and now holds a professorship. She credits her success to a key mentor who consistently believed in her, emphasizing the importance of having a supportive mentor. Birgit advised young scientists to focus on building connections and networks by engaging with others, asking for opportunities, and being proactive. She acknowledges the challenges of remaining in academia long-term but highlights that there are many other ways to contribute to polar research through associations and committees. As part of Austria’s representation in the Antarctic Treaty and SCAR, she encourages researchers to explore diverse opportunities, engage politically, and pursue polar research with passion. She stresses that teamwork is essential for success!
What were some of their advice?
Based on the questions in the room, we summarize following advice:
- Be flexible in your career path; you may discover new interests like project management or working at the science-policy interface. Balance PhD work with networking and involvement in organizations like APECS, to find out what you want and test your skills.–> Test different skills during your PhD, including science communication. SciComm positions are rare, so patience is key. No matter for which career path you will go in the end: You have to be realistic; the frustration level in academia can be high, especially when sending off application after application; but in the end, it will work out!
- Just apply even if you don’t meet all job requirements; many skills can be learned on the job. Maybe you bring a skill to the job that the research group or your supervisor doesn’t have or they have not thought about.
- Networking is essential—follow up after conferences, engage with people via emails or calls, and be proactive.
- When looking for positions, talk to professors and networks, use job boards like at apecs.is , Cryolist, and institutional websites. Be selective—don’t be afraid to say no if the job doesn’t fit.
- Look for internships to get to know teams and environments. It can be a gateway to further opportunities. We have listed some resources to look for fieldwork opportunities.
- Teamwork is critical—social competence matters sometimes more than scientific skills in many cases, especially for fieldwork.
- For funding, start small with local or smaller grants, and seek advice from mentors or senior scientists. Persistence is essential. Some inspiration where to find funding is here.
- Manage your expectations—a lot of success is due to being in the right place at the right time, but persistence and building skills through interviews and experiences are crucial. Be aware of the chain-contract situation (e.g. 6 years limit in Germany/Austria or the 3 year-limit for PostDoc in Sweden)
- Balancing career and family is difficult in polar research due to time away for conferences or expeditions. Online platforms and support networks can help.
- SciComm is increasingly important for securing grants and engaging with the public, politicians, and even your family. Learn how to communicate your science without technical jargon.
- Reviewing grants and papers can teach you a lot about improving your own applications and CVs.
- Show initiative and consistency to stand out; if you approach someone with ideas, they will see you as serious and dedicated
We hope you found our seminar helpful and are looking forward to the next event! Go check out also our summary on Let’s talk: Polar Careers Outside Academia, in which we list some resources to help finding your next job and/or fill out this questionnaire and share it with your colleagues!
The conference schedule was filled with interesting talks, there was amazing art on display and had the chance to meet many interesting polar scientists from Germany, Austria, but also from around the world!
For some visual impressions of the conference and the talks, go check out our highlight-story on Instagram (Polartagung24)!
P.S: Our secret tip: share an AirBnB with other ECRs to save money.
