The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) awards the 2023 IASC Medal to Professor Paul Friedrich Wassmann, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, for outstanding long-lasting achievements to improve the knowledge of the ecology of the Arctic Ocean and the ability to combine excellent science and holistic drive to bring together various disciplines.
Professor Paul Wassmann was selected for his scientific expertise and exceptional and sustained contributions to understanding the Arctic Ocean and for his ability to bring together various disciplines and nationalities to tackle scientific issues that are far too vast and complex for investigation by an individual scientist.
Prof. Wassmann has worked and served the Arctic research community for nearly five decades. He is a singular individual who has truly shaped the direction of international Arctic science. His dedication and passion led Arctic science from regional and discipline-oriented studies to a fully pan-Arctic and interdisciplinary perspective. Besides being very active in publishing his research, he has initiated and led multiple programs and projects and has organized numerous science conference sessions, symposia and workshops. His broad topics of interest have been critical to shaping a new generation of scientists. One example for his continuous efforts to educate prospective scientists is the ARCTOS PhD school “Arctic ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles and climatic change in the Anthropocene” of which he was the Director from 2004 to 2014. He also brought scientific knowledge to broad audiences through exceptional interdisciplinary science communication.
His long-term dedication to the Arctic community and exceptional work has provided significant inputs —and will continue to provide, through the multiple generations of students and post-docs he mentored— to a holistic understanding of the Arctic.
The other shortlisted candidates for the 2023 IASC Medal were:
- Markus Rex and Matthew Shupe, for outstanding achievements to plan and execute the unique international Arctic Ocean program MOSAiC which is fundamental for our understanding of the Arctic and which will serve the international community with new data that was not previously possible to access.
Professor Paul Friedrich Wassmann will deliver his IASC Medal Lecture at the ASSW2023 in Vienna (Austria) and online on 23rd February, 14:00-15:30 GMT+1. More info: assw.info
IASC would like to thank the 2023 IASC Medal Committee for their services: Monika Kędra (MWG) (Chair), Margareta Johansson (CWG), Sergi Pla-Rabes (TWG), Muyin Wang (AWG) and Silja Zimmermann (IASC-SDWG Fellow).
Photo: Professor Paul Friedrich Wassmann. Photo courtesy of Professor Paul Friedrich Wassmann
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