Natalia Oniszczuk is one of the beneficiaries of the competition for funding student and PhD candidates mobility within the HarSval project. She received 19995.30 PLN funding for the specialized course: AS – 304 Risk handling in the Arctic operational context The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen.

Enjoy reading her report below:

“As part of a grant from the HarSval project, I had the opportunity to spend six weeks at The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), where I attended the course “Risk Handling in the Arctic Operational Context.” The course focused on analyzing and managing risk in the harsh Arctic environment, especially in the context of climate change. I learned how to identify various risk factors and manage them effectively. Through lectures, case studies and field activities, I gained both theoretical knowledge and practical skills that are crucial to my research.During the course, we focused mainly on various aspects of the Arctic operational context. Taking this approach into account, we dealt with analyzing and addressing risks associated with climate change, including in particular the risk of snow avalanches. During the fieldwork, we had the opportunity to learn about various measures taken to minimize avalanche risk near the city. An example of such measures was the construction of snow support structures, which significantly affect the safety of Longyearbyen residents.One of the most important elements of this trip was the cooperation with Norwegian scientists. Their knowledge and experience in Arctic research gave me a new perspective on my scientific work. I also had the opportunity to exchange experiences with course participants from different countries, which enriched my perspective on the problems discussed and enabled interdisciplinary discussions. My stay in Svalbard itself was a unique experience. Observation of the environment there and the dynamic changes that are taking place in it made me realize how important it is to protect it. The knowledge gained during the course will be extremely valuable in my dissertation.”