The Permafrost Young Researcher’s Network (PYRN) is a network formed in 2005 to formally facilitate and strengthen contacts among young scientists in the permafrost

Permafrost

In geology, permafrost, cryotic soil or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Ice is not always present, as may be in the case of nonporous bedrock, but it frequently occurs and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of...

 community. It arose from the need for an integrated single source of information for specific resources vital to young scientists (fellowships, conference travel funding, position opportunities, etc.). Additionally, the imminence of the International Polar Year

International Polar Year

The International Polar Year is a collaborative, international effort researching the polar regions. Karl Weyprecht, an Austro-Hungarian naval officer, motivated the endeavor, but died before it first occurred in 1882-1883. Fifty years later a second IPY occurred...

 (IPY) prompted the need for a visible representation of the young permafrost community at the international level. The Permafrost Young Researchers Network has therefore been formally established within the International Permafrost Association

International Permafrost Association

The International Permafrost Association , founded in 1983, has as its objectives to foster the dissemination of knowledge concerning permafrost and to promote cooperation among persons and national or international organisations engaged in scientific investigation and engineering work related to...

 (IPA) framework and has created and maintains means of communication among young researchers involved in permafrost research. It reports on young researchers’ activities to the IPA membership and working parties and represents permafrost scientists and engineers within broader international and national assemblages.

Activities

The PYRN website is hosted by the World Association of Young Scientists

World Association of Young Scientists

The World Association of Young Scientists is a global network of young scientists established in 2004, in partnership with UNESCO and ICSU...

, where information on conferences, events, job and graduate positions, research and other topics related to permafrost science is available. It distributes an electronic newsletter to the young researchers’ communities related to the aforementioned topics and seeks to promote and publicize research undertaken by young researchers. PYRN membership is now up to 450+ members with as many as 37 countries involved (06/02/2008). An Expression of Intent http://www.ipy.org/development/eoi/details.php?id=1111 to the International Polar Year

International Polar Year

The International Polar Year is a collaborative, international effort researching the polar regions. Karl Weyprecht, an Austro-Hungarian naval officer, motivated the endeavor, but died before it first occurred in 1882-1883. Fifty years later a second IPY occurred...

was submitted and PYRN will take part in this major event under the auspices of the International Permafrost Association.