9th EGU Snow Science Winter School 2025

23 Feb – 1 March 2025, Col du Lautaret, France

Overview

The Snow Science Winter School aims at teaching modern techniques of snow microstructure characterization to graduate and post-graduate scientists. The training consists of combining theoretical lessons in the classroom and field practice in small groups of 3-4 students, with focus on some of the more modern measurement methods (high-resolution penetrometry, optical instruments for specific surface area of snow, X-ray tomography, etc.). In addition to knowledge, the school aims at training critical thinking by analyzing, comparing, and discussing the collected data from measurements and other inputs that could be provided (models data, satellite data for example). The Snow School program will follow closely the well-established schedule of lectures in the morning, field experiments in the afternoon and data analysis in the evening.

Target audience

The course is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students and post-docs in all snow and cryosphere related disciplines, who plan to make field measurements of snow, or work with such data, as part of their research.

Course structure

This school focuses on hands-on field snowpack measurements, supplemented by classroom lectures. Students are supervised by a team of lecturers, experts in various snow-related fields.

Field measurements will be carried out by small groups of 3 to 4 students. Each group of students will prepare a report describing the methods, results and interpretation of the data they have collected during the week. We expect participants to prepare for school by consulting the materials provided before school starts.

The course corresponds to 3 ETCS-Points. To receive full credit, a report taking 40 hours of work must be handed in and will be evaluated.

Lecturers (provisional)

  • Dr. Marie Dumont (CNRM, France)
  • Dr. Anna Kontu (FMI, Finland)
  • Dr. Juha Lemmetyinen (FMI, Finland)
  • Dr. Neige Calonne (C NRM, France)
  • Dr. Benjamin Walter (WSL-SLF, Switzerland)

Course cost

EUR 350 including accommodation, meals and local transportation from Grenoble train station to Col du Lautaret. Students are expected to pay their own travel costs to Grenoble train station.

Registration

Due to the limited number of places and the high number of applicants, admission to the course is a two-step process.

1. Application - You will first apply to the course by filling the online application form. Applications will open on October 1st and will close on November 1st 2024, 24:00 UCT. The link to the online application is here

2. Registration - You will receive an invitation to register, based on the committee's assessment of your application, before November 15, 2024. Please register by before November 30, 2024, 24:00 UCT, otherwise your place will be allocated to another candidate.

Important information

As the course is to a great extent based on field work, participants must:

  1. bring their own winter gear, suitable for snowy and cold conditions (warm and wind-proof clothing (onion principle), snow boots, thick gloves/mittens, warm underwear, etc)
  2. be able to function outdoors in winter conditions for several hours during field work
  3. have a valid travel and health insurance.