This symposium is intended to provide a unique opportunity to bring together molecular microbial ecologists specialized in different organism groups, share our latest results, and discuss methodological problems as well as the future prospects in the field, including practical international collaborations. The environmental focus will be on cryospheric environments including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and permafrost, but excellent research in other polar environments is also invited.

Organizers: Dr. Eeva Eronen-Rasimus (University of Helsinki) and Dr. Eric Collins (University of Manitoba)

Location: Tvärminne Zoological Station, 120km southwest of Helsinki, Finland
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research-stations/tvarminne-zoological-station

Schedule:
Mon May 2 -- arrive in Helsinki
Tue May 3 -- morning: charter bus travel to Tvärminne; afternoon: sessions
Wed May 4 -- sessions
Thu May 5 -- sessions
Fri May 6 -- sessions; afternoon: charter bus return to Helsinki

Confirmed Plenary Speakers and Topics:

1. Sea-ice Viruses: Prof. Jody Deming, Member, US National Academy of
Sciences, and The School of Oceanography, University of Washington, USA. Dr. Deming is a
pioneer scientist in sea-ice microbiology specialised in microbial cold adaptation and its
ecological relevance especially in sea ice. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jody_Deming

2. Marine Viruses: Asst. Prof. Karin Holmfeldt, Linnaeus University, Sweden. Dr. Holmfeldt is a
molecular microbial ecologist studying the effect of viruses on the regulation of microbial
diversity and mortality. https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=rl3KIUQAAAAJ

3. Metagenome Resolved Genomics: Dr. Tom Delmont, Genoscope, France. Dr. Delmont is a
molecular microbial ecologist and a world expert in analyses using metagenomic assembled
genomes (MAGs). https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=_uZfiVUAAAAJ

4. Polar Protists: Asst. Sci. Harriet Alexander, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA.
Dr. Alexander is molecular phytoplankton ecologist combining culture- and field-based studies
to understand the biogeochemical functioning and physiological ecology of eukaryotic plankton
in a changing ocean. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FdYCw1gAAAAJ&hl=en

5. Bacterial Community Dynamics: Prof. Jarone Pinhassi, Linnaeus
University, Sweden. Dr. Pinhassi is interested in ecology, physiology, genomics and diversity
of marine bacteria. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XTsPd4AAAAAJ&hl=en

6. Sea Ice Biogeochemistry: Prof. Jean-Louis Tison, Free University of Brussels, Belgium. Dr. Tison is a geophysicist focused on studying physico-chemical properties of interfaces e.g. ice-
ocean/ice-atmosphere. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8DyVAVYAAAAJ&hl=fr

7. Modelling: Adj. Prof. Letizia Tedesco, Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute. Dr. Tedesco is
one of the developers of BFM-SI (Biogeochemical Flux Model in Sea Ice). Dr. Tedesco would
give a plenary talk on modelling in general and give a modellers point of view stating what they
need to better estimate bacterial parameters in models.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=K3adQEMAAAAJ&hl=en.


Registration fee: 340€
Includes: Conference materials, Transportation from Helsinki to Tvärminne, Shared Lodging at Tvärminne Zoological station, Meals (Tuesday afternoon -- Friday morning), and Sauna

Deadline for abstracts: Monday, March 14
Decisions By: Monday, March 21
Registration Deadline: Sunday, April 10

Some travel funding is available for Early Career Researchers! Apply during registration.

Links to additional travel funding opportunities:
FEMS: https://fems-microbiology.org/fems-activities/grants/fems-meeting-attendance-grants/
Microbiology Society: https://microbiologysociety.org/grants/travel-research/travel-grants.html