Last Updated on Friday, 23 June 2017 16:04 | 
April 10, 2017
International Research Center for Cold Regions Environment and Engineering Officially Opened in Lanzhou
The International Research Center for Asian Cold Regions Environment and Engineering was officially opened in Lanzhou, China on April 3, 2017. The center is a joint initiative between the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIER) and the Melnikov Permafrost Institute (MPI) that aims to promote international and interdisciplinary collaboration in geocryology, environmental research, material science and engineering. It will bring together the capabilities and expertise of the partner institutions to address challenges facing cold regions development in Asia. Its first projects will include impact assessment of changing permafrost in China, Russia and Mongolia on major engineered infrastructures, training programs for doctoral students at SKLFSE, and joint fieldtrips in Siberia and interior Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The partners are also to discuss mapping criteria to be used as guidelines for a future Asian permafrost mapping program.
The opening ceremony at NIER was attended by a delegation from Yakutsk, including Dr. Mikhail Lebedev, Chair of the RAS Yakutian Scientific Center, Dr. Mikhail Zhelezniak, MPI Director, Dr. Grigorii Savvinov, Director of the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North, North-Eastern Federal University, Dr. Valentin Spektor, Head of the Laboratory of General Geocryology at MPI and Ms. Lilia Prokopieva, International Relations Manager, MPI. The delegation also visited the School of Civil Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) to discuss opportunities for establishing a research center based at HIT focusing on cold regions engineering. Photo: Co-Directors of IRC-ACEE Wu Qingbai, SLKFSE and Mikhail Zhelezniak, MPI.
Last Updated on Friday, 23 June 2017 15:59 |
March 3, 2017
Upcoming Deadlines – Workshops on Cold Regions Hydrology
In summer 2017, the Melnikov Permafrost Institute will host two events on cold regions hydrology:
(1) Joint UK- Russian Workshop
'Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water and Groundwater Hydrology in Cold Regions'
May 28 – June 1, 2017, Yakutsk, Russia
The Workshop will offer:
- lectures from leading researchers
- presentations of young participants
- development of joint Russian-UK future research projects
- discussion of local stakeholders needs for research
- field trip and local excursion
Fully funded places for early career researchers based in UK and Russia (travel, accommodation and meals). Applications open now to early career researchers.
Application Deadline: March 26, 2017
Workshop website: https://sites.google.com/view/cold-regions-hydrology
(2) 21st Northern Research Basins Symposium and Workshop
'Cold-Region Hydrology in Non-Stationary World'
Yakutsk, Russia, August 6-12, 2017
The workshop program will include scientific sessions, field trip to research sites, local excursions and the Lena River cruise.
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2017
Workshop website: http://nrb2017.ru/
Upcoming Deadlines – Workshops on Cold Regions Hydrology
In summer 2017, the Melnikov Permafrost Institute will host the following events on cold regions hydrology:
1/ Joint UK- Russian Workshop, 'Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water and Groundwater Hydrology in Cold Regions', May 28 – June 1, 2017, Yakutsk, Russia
The Workshop will offer:
lectures from leading researchers
presentations of young participants
development of joint Russian-UK future research projects
discussion of local stakeholders needs for research
field trip and local excursions
Fully funded places for early career researchers based in UK and Russia (travel, accommodation and meals). Applications open now to early career researchers.
Application Deadline: March 26, 2017
Workshop website: https://sites.google.com/view/cold-regions-hydrology
2/
21st Northern Research Basins Symposium and Workshop
'Cold-Region Hydrology in Non-Stationary World'
Yakutsk, Russia, August 6-12, 2017
The workshop program will include scientific sessions, field trip to research sites, local excursions and the Lena River cruise.
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2017
Workshop website: http://nrb2017.ru/
Last Updated on Monday, 17 April 2017 14:35 |
January 30, 2017
Legislation Initiative on Permafrost Protection
The Parliament of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is continuing to explore a legislative initiative on protection of permafrost proposed by a group of activists, including scientists and practicing engineers. The Parliamentary Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Ecology established a working group consisting of members of the parliament, representatives of relevant state agencies, and natural and social scientists to draft a bill. The working group met on January 27, 2017 to discuss comments received on the proposed draft. The initiative was prompted in part by concerns over the Federal Far Eastern Hectare Law entitling every Russian citizen to a hectare of land in the far east of the country for free. Permafrost scientists and engineers who called for action think that massive deforestation will endanger the environment in permafrost areas already undergoing profound changes due to climate warming and industrial development. Provisions of the bill call for the establishment of permafrost monitoring at critical projects the list of which to be determined by regional bodies of the federal governmental agencies on environmental protection, hydrometeorology and related fields. The working group will meet next week to study the drafted bill clause by clause. Photo: Dr. Alexander Fedorov of MPI (far right) at a meeting of the working group.
Last Updated on Friday, 23 June 2017 16:01 |
February 14, 2017
Science Week in Yakutsk
Research institutes in Yakutsk celebrated National Science Day annually held in Russia on February 8 with a week of events to demonstrate their achievements and share their enthusiasm for research with audiences of all ages. The week from February 6 to 12, 2017 featured public lectures, exhibitions, science shows, and visits to the laboratories, libraries and museums. A prominent science popularizer, the Nauka i Tekhnika v Yakutii Magazine celebrated its 15th anniversary on February 9 at MPI. Since its establishment in 2001, this popular science magazine dedicated to Yakutian science and technology has published 30 issues rich in content and colorful in design with more than 1000 scientific research articles, reports on technological developments in Yakutia, expedition news, and discussions. National Science Day is a good occasion to honor researchers who excel in different fields of science. This year was no exception with awards presented to scientists who have significantly contributed to the advance of knowledge in their respective fields, among whom were MPI researchers Alexander Fedorov (RAS Siberian Branch Certificate of Honor), Yaroslav Torgovkin (Yakutia Governor's Letter of Appreciation) and Ivan Khristoforov (Larionov Prize of Sakha/Yakutia Government).
Last Updated on Monday, 17 April 2017 14:34 |
December 5, 2016
Dr. Rudolf Zhang awarded at III Congress of Yakutia's Engineers
About 450 delegates from the industry, academia and government gathered at the North-Eastern Federal University's auditorium on December 1 and 2, 2016 for the 3rd Congress of Yakutia's Engineers. Together with guests from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod, the delegates took part in roundtable discussions on research and development in transportation and communications; innovative technologies in housing and communal services; IT technologies in culture; high-tech equipment for construction industry; natural gas as fuel for automobiles; and undergraduate's targeted admission schemes in engineering education. The Congress events included an exhibition which showcased achievements in engineering research and development in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), as well as the final of the "I, Engineer" competition which aims to promote creative and innovative talents. A number of awards were presented at the plenary session. Dr. Rudolf Zhang from the MPI Laboratory of Permafrost Engineering was awarded the Civil Valor Medal by the Yakutia Ministry of Industry. He also received the Engineering Valor award from the Russian Engineering Academy granted to the Yakutian Branch of the Academy which he heads.
