Author name: Maria Grigoratou

POLAR-MOSS: Using Arctic Mosses to Trace Atmospheric Pollution in Svalbard How can Arctic mosses help scientists understand pollution travelling thousands of kilometres? In August 2026, the POLARIN-supported POLAR-MOSS project brought an international research team to the Kaffiøyra region of Svalbard to investigate atmospheric pollution in one of the world’s most remote environments.   Based at the Nicolaus Copernicus Polar Station in western Spitsbergen, the researchers collected moss and soil samples to investigate the distribution of trace metals, metalloids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Mosses are particularly valuable as natural biomonitors because they absorb and accumulate substances directly from the atmosphere, providing insights into environmental contamination.   During the expedition, the team established 28 sampling stations across approximately 21 km², collecting 56 samples over five days of fieldwork. Despite challenging terrain, changing weather conditions and the absence of the initially targeted moss species, the researchers successfully completed their sampling campaign.   The collected samples will now undergo laboratory analyses to explore spatial patterns of atmospheric deposition and potential pollution sources.   POLAR-MOSS highlights the importance of international collaboration and access to polar research infrastructure in advancing our understanding of environmental processes in the Arctic.   Explore the visual field story by Lorenzo Massi, PhD student at Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia and POLARIN Ambassador, here.   Discover more photos from the expedition in the POLARIN Ambassadors’ Gallery here.

Become an Expert Evaluator for POLARIN’s 3rd Call Are you a researcher with expertise in polar science?  The EU-funded POLARIN (Polar Research Infrastructure Network) project invites researchers and specialists to join its international Expert Pool and support the scientific evaluation of applications submitted to the 3rd Transnational Access Call. We welcome experts working across different areas of polar research, including natural sciences, environmental studies, social sciences, and the human dimensions of polar regions. By participating as an expert evaluator, you can contribute to a transparent and scientifically rigorous selection process, helping to support high-quality research in polar environments. Interested in contributing? Register for the POLARIN Expert Pool and indicate your areas of expertise. Registration takes only a few minutes. If you have previously joined the POLARIN Expert Pool, you do not need to register again. How does the evaluation process work? Expert selection: The POLARIN Evaluation Secretariat will identify potential reviewers based on their expertise and the scientific topics covered by the submitted proposals. Selected experts will be contacted with invitations to undertake review assignments. Online evaluation: Invited reviewers will assess proposals through the secure POLARIN Transnational Access Platform (TAP). Evaluation guidelines and instructions will be made available through the platform. Reviewer anonymity: The identities of evaluators will remain confidential and will not be shared with applicants. Confidentiality and impartiality: Before beginning their assessments, reviewers will be required to agree to confidentiality obligations and declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Key information about the 3rd Call The 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access Call opened on 1 September 2026, with the application deadline set for 29 October 2026. Following the submission deadline, invited experts will contribute to the scientific assessment of eligible proposals. Reviewing is a voluntary activity, and no financial remuneration is provided. Experts will receive a certificate acknowledging their contribution to the POLARIN evaluation process. Participating in the Expert Pool also offers an opportunity to stay informed about emerging polar research topics, engage with new scientific ideas, and gain valuable experience in research evaluation. Early Career Researchers, including postdoctoral researchers, are encouraged to register. Information provided during registration will be used exclusively for managing participation in the Expert Pool and will not be disclosed to third parties. Registered experts may request changes to their information or withdraw from the pool at any time by contacting the POLARIN Evaluation Secretariat at polarin_evaluation_secretariat@ogs.it. For further details about the current call, visit: 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access Call – Apply by 29 October 2026.  

Discover POLARIN GIS: Finding the Right Polar Research Infrastructure for Your Science POLARIN presents a new article introducing POLARIN GIS, an interactive geospatial platform designed to help researchers discover and explore polar research infrastructures across the Arctic and Antarctic. The article, “POLARIN GIS: A tool for finding the right polar research infrastructure for your science”, written by Anton Lindfors (Umeå University) and Elmer Topp-Jørgensen (Aarhus University and INTERACT Non-Profit Association), highlights how the platform supports researchers in identifying suitable facilities for their scientific projects and preparing applications for POLARIN Transnational Access (TA). Through interactive maps, advanced search filters, and detailed infrastructure information, POLARIN GIS enables users to explore research stations and vessels, compare their capabilities, and access information on facilities, environmental conditions, and operational areas. The platform also provides contact details to help researchers assess project feasibility before applying for access. By bringing this information together in one accessible platform, POLARIN GIS simplifies research planning and facilitates access to polar research infrastructures. Read the full article to discover how POLARIN GIS can support your next polar research project. Explore the platform: www.polarin-gis.org

POLARIN Applicant Webinar: Recording Now Available POLARIN hosted an applicant webinar on 14 September 2026, providing researchers with essential information about Transnational Access (TA) opportunities offered through the project.   The webinar introduced POLARIN and its participating research infrastructures, outlined the upcoming TA call, and provided practical guidance on eligibility criteria, the application process, and preparing a strong proposal.   Participants were also introduced to the TAP online application platform and had the opportunity to ask questions about accessing POLARIN’s research infrastructures.   Missed the webinar? The recording is now available online for researchers interested in applying for Transnational Access. Watch the webinar recording   Transnational calls:  3rd Transnational call for research stations and vessels 3rd Transnational call for core repositories

Changes to the POLARIN Management Team As of 1 October 2026, POLARIN welcomes changes to its management team, with Veronica Willmott Puig taking over as Coordinator and Anneli Strobel as Project Manager.   After leading POLARIN from its very beginning, Dr Nicole Biebow has stepped down as Coordinator to take on a new role as Chair of the Executive Board of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). Nicole has been instrumental in shaping POLARIN, from developing the initial concept and proposal to guiding the consortium through its first years of implementation. We sincerely thank her for her dedication, leadership and commitment to building the POLARIN community, and wish her every success in her new role.   Veronica Willmott Puig, Interim Head of the International Cooperation Unit at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), has been POLARIN’s Project Manager since its launch. Her extensive experience in international cooperation, strategic partnerships and European research infrastructure projects, together with her in-depth knowledge of POLARIN, will ensure continuity and support the project’s next steps.   Anneli Strobel, also from AWI’s International Cooperation Unit, brings valuable experience in coordinating European research projects and managing transnational access calls, including through AQUARIUS and previously Eurofleets.

POLARIN presented at ESA Polar Science Cluster meeting The POLARIN Project Manager, Verónica Willmott Puig (AWI), represented POLARIN at the ESA Polar Science Cluster Collocation Meeting 2026, held in Innsbruck, Austria, from 15–17 September. The meeting brought together the polar and cryosphere research community to share scientific progress, identify research priorities and strengthen collaboration between ESA Polar Science Cluster projects, European initiatives and international programmes. On 17 September, Verónica presented POLARIN – Enabling Access to Arctic and Antarctic Research Infrastructures during the session “Community announcements and initiatives”. Her presentation introduced POLARIN and highlighted the project’s role in supporting access to more than 60 Arctic and Antarctic research infrastructures and strengthening collaboration across the polar research community. POLARIN was presented alongside other community initiatives, providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the project among the ESA Polar Science Cluster community. The ESA Polar Science Cluster meeting focused on a broad range of polar science and cryosphere themes, including ice sheets and ice shelves, sea ice, glaciers, permafrost, ocean–ice–atmosphere interactions, ecology and biodiversity, as well as advances in Earth Observation and synergies between satellite observations, in-situ measurements, modelling, artificial intelligence and digital twins. The programme also explored long-term monitoring, future satellite missions and international cooperation, with participation from initiatives including Antarctica InSync, IPY5.

POLARIN Brokerage Event Recording Now Available Missed the POLARIN Brokerage Event? The recording is now available online.   The recording of the POLARIN Online Brokerage Event, held on 7 September 2026, is now available for applicants interested in accessing European and international Polar Research Infrastructures through the POLARIN project.   The online event provided an introduction to the POLARIN project and its 3rd Transnational Access (TA) call to polar research infrastructures, with presentations on the opportunities available through the network of participating Research Infrastructures. Participants also heard about experiences from previous Transnational Access calls and the Ambassador Programme, offering valuable insights for researchers preparing their own proposals.   The event was organised in support of the 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access Call for Proposals, which opened on 1 September 2026 and will remain open until 29 October 2026 at 16:00 CET.   You can watch the recording here.   Transnational calls:  3rd Transnational call for research stations and vessels 3rd Transnational call for core repositories

From the High Himalayas to the High Arctic How do plants survive and function under extreme environmental conditions?   The HIGHPLANTS project brings together two geographically distant but environmentally comparable cold deserts: the high Arctic and the high-altitude Himalayas.   During their POLARIN-supported field campaign, Thinles Chondol and colleagues from the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the University of South Bohemia travelled to Villum Research Station (Station Nord) in northeastern Greenland, one of the most remote research stations in the Arctic.   The team established vegetation plots along a transect towards the glacier moraine, measured the photochemical performance of dominant Arctic plant species, and collected soil samples for microbial and physicochemical analyses.   Working under the midnight sun, the researchers also experienced rapidly changing Arctic conditions, including strong winds, snowstorms and blizzards.   For the team, the Arctic landscape offered a striking comparison with the cold deserts of Ladakh, India, which they have studied extensively. Despite being separated by thousands of kilometres, the two environments share features such as low temperatures, short growing seasons and strong environmental stress.   HIGHPLANTS aims to determine whether plants in these contrasting regions use similar or different strategies to survive and function under extreme conditions.   The comparison is particularly relevant as both the Arctic and high Himalayas are undergoing rapid environmental change. By studying plant functioning, functional traits, growth and plant–microbial interactions across these two cold deserts, the project will contribute to a better understanding of how plants respond to extreme environments and changing climates.   More details, photographs, and personal impressions from the expedition are shared in the HIGHPLANTS Ambassador story by Thinles Chondol and at the Ambassador photo gallery.   HIGHPLANTS was one of the projects successfully selected through POLARIN’s second call for Transnational Access to Polar Research Infrastructures.

3rd POLARIN Transnational Access Call Now Open: Apply by 29 October The 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access (TA) Call and 3rd Transnational Access Call to Core Repositories are now open, offering researchers the opportunity to access a wide range of polar research infrastructures across the Arctic and Antarctic. The calls opened on 1 September 2026 at 12:00 CEST and will close on 29 October 2026 at 16:00 CET. This third TA call offers access to 31 research infrastructures (16 Arctic stations, 9 Antarctic stations and 6 research vessels), including Arctic and Antarctic research stations as well as research vessels. Connect at the POLARIN events Prospective applicants are invited to join two upcoming events to learn more about the call and connect with the POLARIN community: Brokerage Event – 7 September 2026, 15:00-17:00 CEST: An opportunity to learn about POLARIN and available infrastructures in the POLARIN network. Information Webinar – 14 September 2026, 13:00-15:00 CEST: A dedicated session providing further information about the 3rd TA Call and the application process.   Useful information: POLARIN’s first two Transnational Access calls have already made an impact, funding a combined 71 research projects across both polar regions. To learn more about the funded projects visit https://eu-polarin.eu/polarin-funded-projects/ Interview with Verónica Willmott Puig, POLARIN Project Manager; Dr. Hannele Savela, POLARIN Transnational Access Coordinator; and Michele Rebesco from the POLARIN Evaluation Secretariat on the project’s vision, lessons from POLARIN’s first call, and what’s next for experts applying https://eu-polarin.eu/articles-interviews/ Information for TA users: https://eu-polarin.eu/information-for-ta-users/

POLARIN Contributes to the EC Call of Evidence for the European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy POLARIN submitted a contribution to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the future European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy.   Drawing on the experience of the POLARIN project and its Transnational Access programme, the contribution highlights the importance of coordinated research infrastructure networks and transnational access in enabling researchers to access unique facilities and services across Europe and beyond.   POLARIN also calls for continued support for ocean observing capabilities, FAIR data and interoperable digital services, and international scientific cooperation, while emphasising the need to fully integrate the Arctic and Southern Ocean dimensions into the future Strategy.   Through its contribution, POLARIN highlights how coordinated access to research infrastructures can strengthen European ocean and polar research and maximise the impact of existing investments.   Read the POLARIN contribution to the Call for Evidence: https://eu-polarin.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/POLARIN_EC_Ocean_RI_call.pdf   https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16392-European-ocean-research-and-innovation-strategy/F33508467_en

POLARIN Brokerage Event: Agenda and Event Link Now Available Are you interested in accessing European and international Polar Research Infrastructures through POLARIN? The 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access (TA) Call for Proposals will open on 1 September 2026 and close on 29 October 2026 at 16:00 CET.   To support prospective applicants, POLARIN is organising an Online Brokerage Event on 7 September 2026, from 15:00 to 17:00 CEST. The event will provide an overview of the POLARIN project and its Transnational Access programme, as well as introduce selected Research Infrastructures from across the POLARIN network. Participants will also hear about experiences and insights from previous TA calls, helping prospective applicants better understand the opportunities available and prepare their proposals.   Agenda and event link now available! The agenda and link to join the event are now available. We encourage researchers interested in the 3rd POLARIN TA Call to join us online and discover how POLARIN could support their polar research.   Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83182741411

WhiteIce in Antarctica: Investigating the Surface Scattering Layer How the Antarctic ice surface exchanges energy with the atmosphere remains one of the key uncertainties in climate modelling. During the 2024–2025 field season, Anja Mödl, together with her team, travelled to Mario Zucchelli Station in East Antarctica to investigate a little-studied feature known as the surface scattering layer (SSL).   The expedition was supported through POLARIN’s first Transnational Access call and combined automated monitoring with intensive on-site measurements on the Nansen Ice Shelf, around 37 kilometres from the research station. The focus was on how summer melting reshapes the ice surface and alters the local energy balance.   The SSL develops when bare glacier ice begins to melt, allowing meltwater to seep into the surface and later evaporate. What remains is a layer of granular ice crystals that can resemble snow, but is actually a transformed ice surface. Capturing how this layer forms and evolves is important for improving the way climate models represent polar ice processes.   Fieldwork in Antarctica comes with logistical and environmental challenges, and this campaign was no exception. Alongside technical work, the team operated in the striking environment of Terra Nova Bay, where encounters with Adélie penguins, seals, and skuas were part of the daily backdrop.   More details are shared in the WhiteIce Ambassador visual story by Anja Mödl.   WhiteIce was one of the projects successfully selected through POLARIN’s first call for Transnational Access to Polar Research Infrastructures.

PathoPast- exploring the microbial past of an Antarctic penguin colony POLARIN has published a new Ambassador visual story from the field titled “PathoPast- exploring the microbial past of an Antarctic penguin colony” written by Alex Williams, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong and POLARIN Ambassador for the PathoPast project.   The PathoPast project investigates the long-term microbial history of Antarctic penguin colonies by analyzing ancient lake sediments enriched with preserved penguin guano. Because the cold Antarctic environment helps preserve microbial genetic material in lake sediments and penguin guano, researchers can use these preserved records to investigate the microbial history of ancient penguin colonies. A team of three scientists traveled to King George Island, Antarctica, where they spent three weeks collecting lake sediment cores, soil, water, and fresh penguin fecal samples from active colonies while following strict contamination prevention procedures.   With his photographs and reflections, Alex showcase the scientific value, the physical challenges, and beauty of conducting research in Antarctica. Harsh weather, difficult terrain, and partially frozen lakes complicated fieldwork, but the team successfully collected sediment cores from both a former penguin colony site and a control lake with no known penguin activity. Along the way, they observed Antarctic wildlife, including gentoo, Adélie, and chinstrap penguins, elephant seals, skuas, giant petrels, and towering icebergs, emphasizing the region’s unique ecosystem. The collected samples will help researchers better understand how Antarctic microbial communities and pathogens have changed over thousands of years, providing valuable insights into wildlife health and environmental change.   Read Alex’s visual story from the field to learn more about the science and experiences behind the PathoPast project.   PathoPast was one of the projects successfully selected through POLARIN’s first call for Transnational Access to Polar Research Infrastructures.

Into the White: A Scientist’s Journey to the Antarctic Ice Sheet POLARIN has published a new Ambassador blog titled “Into the White: A Scientist’s Journey to the Antarctic Ice Sheet” written by Daan Van den Broek, PhD Researcher in Atmospheric Sciences at Finnish Meteorological Institute and POLARIN Ambassador, “WhiteIce” project.     What does it take to conduct climate research in one of the most remote places on Earth? In his blog, Daan shares a first-hand account of his participation in the POLARIN-funded WhiteIce expedition to Antarctica.   The blog follows Daan’s journey from joining the expedition team and preparing for months of fieldwork to carrying out scientific measurements on the Nansen Ice Sheet near the Mario Zucchelli Station. The WhiteIce project investigates the “surface scattering layer,” or “white ice”, a bright layer that forms on melting ice surfaces and influences how much sunlight is reflected back into space. By collecting weather, radiation and drone observations, the research aims to improve climate models and strengthen projections of future climate change.   Alongside the science, Daan reflects on the realities of polar fieldwork, from complex logistics and changing weather conditions to the breathtaking landscapes of Antarctica. His story highlights both the challenges and the rewards of conducting research in extreme environments, demonstrating how international collaboration, careful preparation and adaptability are essential for successful polar science.   Read Daan’s full blog to discover the people, science and experiences behind the White Ice project.   WhiteIce was one of the projects successfully selected through POLARIN’s first call for Transnational Access to Polar Research Infrastructures.

Arctic Carbon Cycling: Linking terrestrial and aquatic systems (ARC-LINK) POLARIN has published a new Ambassador visual story titled Arctic Carbon Cycling: Linking terrestrial and aquatic systems (ARC-LINK) developed by Cheristy Jones, POLARIN Ambassador, PhD Candidate, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New Hampshire.     For the ARC-LINK project, Cheristy travelled from Boston, USA to Zackenberg, Greenland to study how carbon and nutrients move through permafrost catchments, compare glacial and non-glacial systems at high spatial resolution and how aquatic carbon connects to CO₂ and CH₄ emissions. Through her photographs and reflections, Cheristy travels us to Greenland to witness permafrost thaw, Arctic flora and fauna.   Explore Cheristy’s visual story to learn more.   ARC-LINK was one of the projects successfully selected through POLARIN’s first call for Transnational Access to Polar Research Infrastructures.

Save the date: POLARIN Brokerage Event for the 3rd Transnational Access Call Thinking about applying to POLARIN’s 3rd Transnational Access Call for access to Polar Research Infrastructures?   Join our Online Brokerage Event on September 7, 2026 15:00-17:00 CEST for an overview of the of the POLARIN project and its Transnational Access Calls and selected research infrastructures from the POLARIN network.   More information and registration link will be available in August.   The 3rd POLARIN TA call opens on September 1 and closes on October 29 at 16:00 CET.

POLARIN’s 3rd Transnational Access Call Opens September 1st POLARIN, the EU-funded Polar Research Infrastructure Network, brings together 54 partners to provide researchers with free-of-charge access to marine and terrestrial research infrastructures across both the Arctic and Antarctic. The 3rd POLARIN Transnational Access (TA) Call opens on September 1st and closes on October 29th, 16:00 CET. Successful applicants gain in-person or remote access to a wide range of Polar Research Infrastructures, including: Arctic and Antarctic research stations Polar vessels and icebreakers Observatories and data platforms Useful information: POLARIN’s first two Transnational Access calls have already made an impact, funding a combined 71 research projects across both polar regions. To learn more about the funded projects visit https://eu-polarin.eu/polarin-funded-projects/ Interview with Verónica Willmott Puig, POLARIN Project Manager; Dr. Hannele Savela, POLARIN Transnational Access Coordinator; and Michele Rebesco from the POLARIN Evaluation Secretariat on the project’s vision, lessons from POLARIN’s first call, and what’s next for experts applying https://eu-polarin.eu/articles-interviews/ Information for TA users: https://eu-polarin.eu/information-for-ta-users/

Projects Funded by POLARIN’s Second Transnational Access Call (2025) Announced! POLARIN is pleased to announce the results of its Second Transnational Access (TA) Call, marking another important milestone in supporting excellent polar and cryosphere research across Europe and beyond. Following a highly competitive evaluation process 36 projects were ultimately granted POLARIN Transnational Access support, representing a success rate of 78% among the recommended proposals. We invite you to explore the full list of funded projects on our website, where you can find detailed information on their research objectives and participating research infrastructures: POLARIN Funded Projects – POLARIN The funded projects address a wide range of scientific questions related to the polar regions, including climate processes, ecosystem dynamics, ice-sheet interactions, atmospheric research, marine systems, and environmental change. Through access to POLARIN’s distributed network of terrestrial and marine polar research infrastructures, researchers will be able to generate new knowledge that contributes to understanding the rapidly changing Arctic and Antarctic environments. In total, 1,154 units of access were awarded across the 36 funded projects, enabling researchers to utilise a diverse range of facilities, services, observations, and data resources available through the POLARIN consortium. The Second TA Call highlights POLARIN’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse research community. Among the funded projects, 47 % are led by women and 53 % by men, reflecting a balanced distribution of leadership. Early Career Researchers lead 15 of the 36 user groups (42 %). The selected projects bring together researchers from a wide range of institutions and countries, underscoring the international reach of polar research and the strong demand for access to specialised research infrastructures. By facilitating access to unique facilities and expertise, POLARIN continues to strengthen collaboration across the polar research community and support scientific excellence in addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

POLARIN Webinar Highlights the Future of Virtual Access for Polar Research On April 9, 2026, POLARIN hosted a webinar on the provision of Virtual Access (VA) for polar research infrastructures (RIs). The event focused on how RIs can provide user-friendly, free, and open online access to scientific data, metadata, and data services, aligning with POLARIN’s mission to enhance data discoverability, interoperability, and reuse. During the webinar, participants learned about: The objectives of POLARIN VA, including publishing non-public data, improving FAIR compliance, and aggregating datasets in a standardized way. The benefits of VA compliance for RIs, such as accelerating research, enabling societal applications (e.g., climate models), and increasing competitiveness for future funding. The technical and metadata requirements for making databases VA-compatible, including standardized APIs (OAI-PMH, OGC CSW), metadata models, and best practices for data management. The legal obligations for RIs participating in POLARIN VA and the risks of non-compliance. The webinar also highlighted case studies from observation networks, data infrastructures, and research stations involved in POLARIN, as well as the POLARIN metadata catalogue, which acts as a broker to harvest and enrich metadata without moving the underlying data.   You can find the recording of the webinar in our Youtube channel and via this link.   The presentation slides are available via the download button below.   The webinar was organized by the SIOS Knowledge Centre (SIOS-KC) and ETT on behalf of POLARIN WP4 “Improvement of data services and customised data products” and WP5 “Provision of Virtual Access.” Download

POLARIN Strengthens Collaboration at Annual Retreat and General Assembly in Bologna The POLARIN consortium has successfully concluded its three-day annual retreat and General Assembly in Bologna on April 21-23, bringing together partners from across Europe and beyond to advance cooperation, innovation, and access in polar research. Hosted by the National Research Council of Italy, the gathering provided an important opportunity for the project’s partners to meet in person, review progress, and shape the next phase of POLARIN’s mission to create a more connected and coordinated polar research infrastructure network. A Productive Three Days of Exchange and Planning The retreat opened with focused discussions on lessons learned from the first two Transnational Access Calls. Partners explored ways to address key knowledge gaps, optimise future calls, strengthen training opportunities through shared expertise, and improve how POLARIN engages with broader audiences. Through presentations, breakout sessions, and informal exchanges, participants worked collaboratively to refine ideas and identify practical steps for continued progress. Advancing Open Science and Data Access Day two placed a strong spotlight on one of POLARIN’s pillars: Data. Sessions highlighted the project’s commitment to open science, including the ongoing development of the POLARIN Data Hub, designed to improve usability and accessibility for researchers worldwide. Discussions also focused on Virtual Access, an initiative providing free, user-friendly access to previously unavailable polar scientific data, metadata, and data services. A separate management session addressed project coordination, reporting, and financial processes, allowing partners to exchange experiences and share solutions to common challenges. The day concluded with a guided walking tour through Bologna, offering participants a chance to continue conversations while experiencing the city’s rich cultural heritage. General Assembly Highlights Strong International Network The final day was dedicated to the POLARIN General Assembly, attended by consortium members and invited guests from Aquarius, Antarctica InSynch, Forel, SCAR, JAMSTEC, and members of POLARIN’s Advisory Board. A key highlight was hearing directly from Transnational Access users and Early Career Scientists Mariana Garcia Criado (BIPOLAR project), Patricia Kaye Tahura Dumandan (TEPMNET project) and Alex Williams (PathoPast project), who shared first-hand experiences of fieldwork made possible through POLARIN. Their contributions demonstrated the real-world impact of the project in enabling scientific research in polar regions. Across presentations, panel discussions, and personal exchanges, one clear message emerged: POLARIN is not only operational, it is already proving how international collaboration at scale can succeed in practice for both poles. Building on the experience of previous EU projects (INTERACT I, II, III, ARICE, and Eurofleets) and the combined expertise of its 54 partners, POLARIN provides a model for the future of European polar research based on sustained funding through FP10, optimized use of diverse polar infrastructure networks, and strengthened international cooperation within and beyond Europe. Powered by People At the heart of POLARIN is its dedicated network of people. The retreat reinforced the value of meeting face-to-face to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and keep momentum strong as the project evolves.  As the retreat concludes, the message is clear: through collaboration, coordination, and shared commitment, POLARIN is demonstrating how the future of polar research infrastructure transnational access can be built across Europe and beyond. POLARIN warmly thanks the National Research Council of Italy for their hospitality and for making the POLARIN meetings such a success.