Teaching in the Arctic... in socks!
I was invited as a guest lecturer at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in Longyearbyen between 4 and 8 September 2017. This was a unique opportunity on so many levels! As part of the course AGF-213 Polar Meteorology and Climate , undergraduate students also learn about atmospheric chemistry, the part of the course for which I was in charge. It was a great opportunity to review and refresh my knowledge on many topics that are not part of my everyday research and their relevance to the polar regions such as: stratospheric chemistry, in particular the ozone hole in the Southern atmosphere and the possible development of one in the Northern Hemisphere black carbon and its influence on snow melt in the Arctic ( ask president Niinistö !), as well as geochemical cycles and their effects on the climate . Longyearbyen (and in particular UNIS) is a very special place: it feels vibrant despite the remote location of the settlement and all the modern comfort is...