Virtual Posters

APECS is an initiative of young and innovative polar researchers which started in the context of the 4th International Polar Year (IPY 2007-2008). In order to promote cooperation studies and development of Antarctic and Arctic sciences as a whole, APECS has motivated the formation of the next generation of polar researchers. APECS-Brazil follows the same objectives of the international organization, alongside other particular purposes. In 2009, a Council was established aiming at more visibility and representativity in some Polar researchers’ areas. After the establishment of the Association general rules, the 2010-2012 APECS-Brazil Council is now composed by: ESC (Ecology/Biology), JAIS (Marine Pollution and Invasive Species), RK (Physical/Biological Oceanography), ASA (Climate Changes), MHA (Education/Outreach), EAS (Atmospheric Chemistry), JC (Cryosphere), RV (Geography) and TW (Paleontology). Several efforts have been done to promote and to divulge APECS-Brazil. The “I Workshop APECS-Brazil: Perspectives and Opportunities”, held at the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro last October 2010, was the most representative event executed by the association until now. The main goals of this meeting were to (1) present APECS-Brazil to the scientific community, government representatives, general public and new potential APECS participants; (2) establish partnerships among early career polar scientists aiming at future cooperation and interdisciplinary studies; (3) exchange scientific knowledge, field experiences, advancements and difficulties of polar research between early and senior scientists studying this environment; and (4) encourage the development of Polar Education & Outreach Activities. During the event 22 talks and 27 scientific posters were presented. The best three posters were awarded Honorable Mentions “Professor Rocha-Campos”, who evaluated posters himself. At least 35 secondary and 80 undergraduate students, 30 graduate and postgraduate researchers and 15 scientists from six different Brazilian States (i.e. Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Pernambuco, Sergipe, and Brasília - the Brazilian Federal District) discussed the development and growth of polar research in Brazil, as well as means of promoting Brazilian polar activities in the country, and worldwide. The Brazilian participation in the Virtual Poster Session (VPS) on APECS International web-site has increased after our first workshop, as the authors of posters shown during the workshop in Brazil were encouraged to publish their work on the webpage. At the same way, the membership numbers registered on the national and international APECS web-sites almost doubled after our workshop. As a result of this meeting, a second event entitled “II Workshop APECS-Brazil” is being organized as an international event focusing on the theme “South-American Antarctic Research Integration”. This workshop aims to extend the activities to other South American countries and to incentivize the establishment and the growing need of APECS in the region. The II workshop will occur in May 2012 at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (Rio Grande city, Rio Grande do Sul State, South of Brazil) and is being organized locally by RK, JC and TW, with the support of the other members of the APECS-Brazil Council.