ENJOY THE COLD
- Adaption to work and outdoor activities in cold environments
Aim of the course
Working and surviving in cold environments like the Arctic is of increasing commercial, scientific and recreational importance. This results in the need for proper training and equipment for managing the challenges in this environment.
This course is mainly aimed at people who are working and participating in activities related to cold environments, such as:
- Leadership and management.
- Maintenance and testing of equipment.
- Development and production of equipment.
- Medicine and physiology, including accident management and cold injuries.
- Military service or other professions that spends extended time outdoors.
- Expeditions.
Through a combination of lectures, discussions, practical work and use of equipment, the participants will gain an intimate knowledge, how to handle work situations as well as accidents. A wide variety of equipment will be available for actual use.
Location
The course will be held at Ny Ålesund, located on Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard Group, at 78°N. This settlement is a permanent international research station, only accessible with special permits. Originally a mining town, where many famous polar explorers have started their expeditions for the North Pole (Amundsen, Nobile, Elsworth), this station now performs important biological, astrophysical and meteorological research. The station is accessible using boats in summer and by small plane from Longyearbyen in winter. There is regular air service from Tromsø in Norway to Longyearbyen. In March/April, the average temperature is –15°C.
Course content
- The arctic environment
- Cold injuries and hypothermia
- Influence of cold on work performance
- Nutritional requirements in the arctic
- Clothing for the cold
- Product testing of equipment for the arctic environment
- Hygiene and prevention of injuries
- Selection of personnel for arctic conditions
- Accidents, treatment and transport
- The use and care of snow scooters
- The use and care of skiing equipment
- Camping in the arctic
- Hazards, how to prevent and survive them
- Navigation
- How to face a polar bear
For more information about the course or if you wish to participate, please send an email to:
andreas.mollerlokken@ntnu.no
Course directors and organization
Alf O. Brubakk, MD, PhD. Professor of Environmental Physiology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Bård Holand, MSc (Engineering). Professor of Cybernetics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim Norway. Senior Engineer Thelma AS
Johan Skullman, MSc (Sports). Survival instructor and officer in the Swedish Armed Forces.
Svein Erik Gaustad, MSc, PhD student Environmental Physiology and Physiological Genomics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Torkjell Tveita, MD, PhD. Professor at Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Andreas Møllerløkken, PhD Medical Technology. Post doc Environmental Physiology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
