NERSC 40th Anniversary Symposium
Pioneering Observations and Predictions:
40 Years of Shaping Ocean and Climate Research
12–13 May 2026, Terminus Hall, Bergen
To participate in our Anniversary Symposium,
we kindly ask you to register your attendance here, as places are limited.
Day 1 – 12 May 2026
09:00–10:00 Registration and coffee/tea
10:00–10:30 Opening
10:00–10:15
Welcome: Tore Furevik, Chief Executive Officer at NERSC
10:15–10:30
From Idea to Reality – The Birth of the Nansen Remote Sensing Center: Ola M. Johannessen, Founder of the Nansen Center, Director of Nansen Scientific Society
10:30–11:40 Session 1: Ocean and Sea Ice Observations
10:30–10:45
Remote Sensing at NERSC: A 40-years exciting journey: Johnny A. Johannessen, Senior Researcher, NERSC
10:45–11:05
Biologically mediated pools and fluxes of carbon from the ocean: what we can learn from satellites: Shuba Sathyendranath, Senior Scientist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
11:05–11:40
Progress towards an integrated Arctic Ocean Observing System incorporating multipurpose acoustic networks: Peter Worcester, Research Oceanographer, Emeritus, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Hanne Sagen, Research Director, NERSC
11:40–12:00 Coffee/Tea break
12:00–13:00 Session 2: Operational Oceanography
12:00–12:20
Ensemble data assimilation pioneered at NERSC: Geir Evensen, Researcher / Professor, NORCE
12:20–12:40
From Physical Drivers to Living Systems: Applications of Biogeochemical Models inMarine Ecosystems: Corinna Schrum, Professor / Head of Department, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
12:40–13:00
Operational oceanography: A breakthrough and a leading role of the Nansen Center: Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Scientific Director, Mercator Ocean International
14:00–15:00 Session 3: Climate Research and Prediction
14:00–14:20
Climate modelling at the Nansen Center (G.C. Rieber Climate Institute) since 1990: Helge Drange, Professor, University of Bergen
14:20–14:40
NERSC role in the BCCR: Kikki Kleiven, Director, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research / Professor, University of Bergen
14:40–15:00
Climate prediction with NorCPM: François Counillon, Research Director, NERSC
15:00–15:20 Coffee/Tea break
15:20–15:40 Session 4: Digitization and Emerging Technologies
15:20–15:40
AI at NERSC: Julien Brajard, Senior Researcher, NERSC
15:40–16:20 Panel: Successes and Remaining Challenges
Panel members:
- Daniela Matei, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, GE
- Craig Donlon, ESA, NL
- Tor Eldevik, UiB, NO
- Bjørn Backeberg, Deltares, NL
- Jon Børre Ørbæk, RCN, NO
- Robert Shuchman, Michigan Technical Research Institute, US
16:20–16:30 The Nansen Polar Award
This year’s Nansen Polar Award is recognizing outstanding contributions to satellite oceanography and marine biogeochemistry. It is presented to a researcher that has made significant contributions to this field for more than 4 decades.
16:30–20:30 Poster Session, Aperitif and Tapas
The poster session showcases a selection of ongoing research and recent results from NERSC, providing an opportunity for informal dialogue between researchers and participants. The session is combined with an aperitif, followed by a tapas reception.
Day 2 – 13 May 2026
08:30–09:00 Registration and coffee/tea
09:05–10:15 Session 1: Ocean and Sea Ice Observing Systems
09:05–09:20
SAR Doppler Observations of Surface Motion: From Equator to the Marginal Ice Zone: Artem Moiseev, Researcher, NERSC
09:20–09:35
Multiscale sea ice motion: from observations to model and back again: Anton Korosov, Senior Researcher, NERSC
09:35–10:00
How Does Warm Atlantic Water Spread Through the Nansen Basin: New Insights from Autonomous Observations: Agnieszka Beszczynska-Möller, Senior Scientist, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN) and Vår Dundas, Researcher, NERSC
10:00–10:15
Under-ice geo-positioning system for autonomous platforms: Espen Storheim, Senior Researcher, NERSC
10:15–10:35 Coffee/Tea break
10:35–11:30 Session 2: Modelling and Forecasting
10:35–10:50
Modelling of sea ice deformation: Einar Ólason, Research Director, NERSC
10:50–11:05
Ocean BioGeoChemistry reanalysis: Tsuyoshi Wakamatsu, Researcher, NERSC
11:05–11:30
AI for weather forecasting: state-of-the-art: Laure Raynaud, Team leader weather forecasting & AI, Météo-France
11:30–11:55 Panel: AI in Forecasting – Opportunities and Challenges
Moderator: Laurent Bertino, Research Director, NERSC
Panel members:
- Einar Ólason, NERSC, NO
- Tsuyoshi Wakamatsu, NERSC, NO
- Laure Raynaud, Meteo-France, FR
- Julien Brajard, NERSC, NO
- Pierre-Yves Le Traon, MOI, NO
12:45–13:45 Session 3: Climate Prediction and Change
12:45–13:00
Assessing extreme events and communicating future hazards to stakeholders: Stephen Outten, Senior Researcher, NERSC
13:00–13:15
Paleoclimate reanalysis for better understanding the climate variability: Quentin Dalaiden, Researcher, NERSC
13:15–13:30
Marine heatwaves predictions and impacts: Helene Langehaug, Senior Researcher, NERSC
13:30–13:45
Q&A (Slido available)
13:45–14:00 Coffee/Tea Break
14:00–14:25 Session 4: Science and Future Outlook for Society
14:00–14:10
From Urban Climate Science to Decisions that Affect People: Victoria Miles, Researcher, NERSC
14:10–14:25
From Research to Decisions: How Cities Use Science in Planning and Policy: Stina Ellevseth Oseland, Head of Climate, City of Bergen (to be confirmed)
14:25–14:50 Panel: Science and Future Outlook for Society
Moderator: Johannes Magnus, Director of Operations, NERSC
Panel members:
- Léa Svendsen, Associate Professor, University of Bergen, NO
- Øyvind Paasche, Head of the Climate Dynamics Department at NORCE, NO
- Frode Vikebø, Head of Research, Institute of Marine Research, NO
- Nina Winther, Director Data Science, StormGeo, NO
- Gro Anita Fonnes, Head of section Biodiversity, Nordics, DNV, NO
14:50–15:00 Closing Remarks
