Between 11-23 May 2022, the AKMA-OceanSenses Research Expedition will sail to the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean to investigate extreme environments with a focus on both science and education.
Text: Mariana Esteves
The AKMA-OceanSenses Research Expedition, led by Professor Giuliana Panieri and Professor Stefan Bünz, has been endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade. The UN Ocean Decade aims to raise knowledge of the oceans, by stimulating and coordinating research efforts nationally and globally, in order to achieve the UN sustainability goal 14 – Life under water.
Aboard the research vessel Kronprins Håkon, scientists, illustrators, musicians and educators will sail into the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean between 11-23 May 2022. This expedition, organised by the AKMA (Advancing Knowledge of Methane in the Arctic) project, will investigate extreme environments, such as natural methane seep sites, acquiring new datasets that can improve our ability to better understand the present-day, and therefore future environmental and climatic changes. However, investigating methane emissions is not the sole focus of this research cruise.
With students, teachers, and researchers from all around the world (Norway, Italy, France, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Brazil, Tanzania and Botswana) able to digitally join this research cruise, a major focus for this expedition is to bridge the gap between science and education. Every other day, scientists and educators onboard this expedition will connect with classes from around the world, and share their experiences and teach about the ocean. During the expedition, scientists and educators will also work to develop educational and learning tools for everyone to experience the ocean using all our senses – touch, sight, smell, hearing and taste.
To read more about the expedition and find out more about the research and initiatives happening onboard, please visit the AKMA project website.
For more information about the UN Ocean Decade (in Norwegian), click here.
