The Austrian Polar Research Station ‘Sermilik’ has its First Station Manager

Andreas Trügler, first station manager of the Austrian polar research station “Sermilik” (© Christoph Ruhsam)

APRI: Andreas, what was your path to becoming station manager of the first Austrian polar research station?

Andreas: There was a multi-stage selection process in which I was shortlisted and ultimately lucky enough to be ranked first. I was invited to an interview where I was able to present my research visions to a committee, and then my application went through a few more instances at the University of Graz.

Location of the Austrian polar research station “Sermilik”

APRI: According to your website, you are anchored in the field of theoretical physics and AI. How do you scratch the curve from AI and quantum computers to a station manager?

Andreas: During and after my studies in theoretical physics at the University of Graz, where I also completed my habilitation, I repeatedly travelled abroad for research stays, e.g. in Italy, Spain, France, Canada and Sweden. When I came back to Graz, I took over the management of a research department in the Know-Center at TU Graz in the field of ‘Artificial Intelligence’. The focus of my research activities was very interdisciplinary; over the years I have worked with scientists from biology, chemistry, mathematics, medicine and the humanities, for example. During my time in theoretical physics, I also greatly appreciated the collaboration with experimental physicists. This broad basis is now very beneficial to me as head of the station, as the research station is of course open to scientists from all disciplines and I would like to place a special emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration. Thanks to my training, I also have particular expertise in numerical simulations and computer methods. These tools often serve as a link between different disciplines, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence and the use of different data sources. I have also been lucky enough to have several research projects in the past where we were able to use AI methods for cryospheric research issues. I have always used AI methods and computer simulations primarily as a tool to better understand the physics behind our questions. We have also used numerical methods, for example, for medical problems or cryptographic applications as well as climate and earth observation. The latter based on AI analyses of satellite data.

Two years ago, I was also able to acquire together with Jakob Abermann a research project that is very close to my heart: Weg_RE, in which almost a century after Alfred Wegener’s legendary Greenland expedition, the same meteorological and glaciological parameters are being observed at exactly the same measurement sites under similar atmospheric conditions, albeit under fundamentally changed physical and climatic boundary conditions. In addition to established ‘classic’ methods, we also use AI to analyse the measurement data, link data sources or detect certain patterns.

APRI: What connects you to polar research and specifically to the Arctic, also on an emotional level?

Andreas: I first came to the Arctic mainly through mountaineering, where I was immediately captivated by this incredible landscape and unspoilt wilderness. It probably started with my interest in the old expedition reports. I was particularly impressed by Christoph Ransmayr’s ‘Die Schrecken des Eises und der Finsternis’ (The Terrors of Ice and Darkness) and Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s ‘The Worst Journey in the World’, despite the somewhat off-putting titles. This led to a first trip to Spitsbergen for mountaineering and ski touring. I’ve also been a volunteer mountain rescuer for years and that has probably also shaped my relationship with mountains and nature. I went ice climbing in the north of Norway and then, particularly formative, on a winter expedition alone in East Greenland, where I also undertook a ski tour to the Sermilikfjord. The sky was full of auroras and icebergs passed by in the fjord: it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. It’s a coincidence of life that the Sermilik station is like an ‘office’ in the neighbourhood. Since then, I’ve also got to know people from Tasiilaq, which is a great help for the station’s work.

APRI: Can you tell us something about your vision for the station?

Andreas: I have applied with a multi-part programme. The scientific part of the programme is primarily based on interdisciplinarity, where I would like to contribute my skills and knowledge accordingly. The most important thing for me is the opportunity to obtain observation data on site and then link it with satellite data or other station data, for example. Glaciological and meteorological issues are an existing focus of the polar research group at the University of Graz, and I would particularly like to continue the long-term observations in Greenland. As the first Austrian research station in the Arctic, further expansion and cooperation with other disciplines is also very important to me, and we already have points of contact in biology, chemistry and anthropology. I would also like to make special mention of the inclusion of the humanities here; there are also many issues in the Arctic that concern the social sciences, for example. For me, an essential part is also the development of strategic research partnerships. Even when the station was being designed, it was decided that a new approach to research would be adopted: Not just travelling there, measuring and travelling away again, but conducting research that also has added value for the local population. I will be meeting regularly with local political representatives and would like to draw up a list of locally relevant research projects. Through our contact with the Igdlo youth centre in Tasiilaq, I want to involve the young people and get them interested in the station. This will hopefully result in citizen science projects, ideally with employment opportunities. We would also like to involve the fishermen, for example to work together on measuring the thickness of the sea ice. In this way, research arises from common interests in the region and not from outside.

APRI: Where should the station be in ten years?

Andreas: By then, networking with international research institutions and the local Greenlandic population should be a matter of course and established. I would like to work towards ensuring that the station offers social and perhaps even socio-economic added value for the region in addition to scientific value. In addition to appropriate research utilisation and integration into scientific measurement networks, the station should of course also leave a corresponding scientific footprint in 10 years’ time – as the only Austrian research station in the Arctic to date, on the one hand in the Austrian research landscape, but of course also beyond that in an international environment. Carl Weyprecht, the naval commander of the Austro-Hungarian expedition, already had the vision of an international research network in the polar regions and initiated the first international polar year in 1882. I hope that the Sermilik Station can make a significant contribution to this Austrian vision in the future. For me, this also means gaining the trust and support of the local population. Here, too, there are many points of interest on the scientific side. The after-effects of colonialism and the Christianisation of the Greenlandic population have left visible traces to this day and here, for example, we could once again make a contribution to reappraisal in cooperation with the humanities. I also hope that the research activities at the Sermilik Station can put a stop to the disappearance of East Greenlandic culture – the interdisciplinary project ‘Qimmeq’, a collaboration between photographers, researchers and the Greenlandic population to stop the disappearance of the Greenlandic sled dogs, is a prime example of this for me.

Sermilik, September 2023 (© Robert Galovic)

APRI: What about the collaboration with the Danish station?

Andreas: The Danish station, which dates back to the 1970s, is still operated by Danes and is independent of the Austrian station. There is very good cooperation and we regularly discuss important topics of mutual interest. I could also imagine joint courses on field research in the Arctic, where we could again utilise synergies on site. We also share scientific equipment at the station so that we can work economically.

APRI: Can you name a few other areas of research in the natural sciences?

Andreas: The location of the station is strategically very well chosen, everything is available in the surrounding area: The Mittivakkat mountain glacier in the immediate vicinity of the station, rocks for geological studies, the Arctic fauna and flora for biological research, a still largely unexplored polar bear population on the east coast of Greenland, the inland ice on the opposite shore of the fjord with its large, calving glaciers and the open Atlantic Ocean for research in the field of marine biology. The icebergs and the huge glaciers in the Sermilik Fjord bring a lot of fresh water into the sea and influence the marine ecosystem accordingly. The glacial lakes and melting processes provide valuable information about the corresponding feedback mechanisms. Practically everything is within walking distance. We are also in the process of processing the existing historical data from the region (mainly glaciological and meteorological records) and making it publicly accessible.

APRI: How is the station’s energy supply designed and how important is sustainability?

Andreas: Sustainability plays a very important role for us and we have set ourselves the goal of utilising sustainable energy resources as much as possible. However, we must not forget that the conditions in the Arctic are very different to those for a house in Austria. In principle, the station is designed so that it can be used all year round. In the first few years, however, we will concentrate primarily on summer operation. There is no sunlight at the station in the polar winter and it is also very difficult to supply it with hydroelectric power due to the low temperatures, but we are currently investigating appropriate options for the summer. PV systems are also being planned, but the strong winds in winter (Piteraqs) are also a technical challenge. Diesel generators are to remain for safety reasons and as a backup. In winter, the first floor of the station can be closed off and then offers space for a reduced workforce on the lower floor. In summer, there is room for 5 people in the Danish station and 25 people in the Austrian station.

Lakes in front of the Mittivakkat glacier, summer 2024 (© Karl Steinegger)

APRI: Finally, it would be interesting to hear about your presence at the station and how your family is coping with it.

Andreas: My presence on site will very much depend on the relevant research projects. I would also like to involve young scientists as early as possible and am currently working on setting up a small group of Master’s and PhD students who will be able to support me on site and it will be up to me how well I can plan, prepare and coordinate everything from Austria. Ideally, we would also like to employ local people who can support us with the maintenance of the station and the measuring equipment. I have a young daughter and of course I don’t want to leave my family alone in Austria for six months. That’s why it’s also very important to me to have a suitable team where we can support each other and take turns on site. I also have a teaching commitment at the University of Graz, so a complete move to Greenland is not yet planned …

APRI: Andreas, thank you for the interesting interview which we had in the course of the 29th International Polar Conference in Rauris, Austria.