Cathleen Geiger

Geography

University of Delaware

cgeiger@udel.edu

Newark , Delaware 19716

The UD Sea Ice Group (UD-SIG) provides apprenticeship training through a program called Multi-scale Education and Research through active-Learning using an Ice-physics Node (MERLIN). Professional interests of the UD Sea Ice Group focus on the simple theme of understanding sea ice relative to space, time, scale, and thought. At the human scale, sea ice looks like a vast frozen white desert punctuated by sharp ridges, open-water leads, and polynyas. With the recent advances in remote sensing, computer technology, and telecommunications, it is now possible to "look" at ice at spatial scales beyond the human vision. Furthermore, the speed of modern technology affords us the luxury of replaying events at temporal scales many times faster than they occur. This gives us the opportunity to assess and analyze events in the past to better understand the present and prepare ourselves for the future. Long-term goals leverage scales beyond the range of human perception to improve navigation in the polar seas, better prepare humanity for survival in these regions, and assess the interaction and impact of sea ice on our world. Several ongoing research projects and outreach activities focus on research, outreach, and communication of ideas that support the discovery elements of science while advancing the development of operational tools necessary to facilitate scientific discovery.