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Workers on the snow with icebreaker CCGS Amundsen in the background

Prepare your
expedition

Security clearance process

To participate in the Annual Amundsen Expedition, each participant must be associated with a research program whose application for ship time has been accepted.

Before boarding the ship, it is mandatory for each participant to obtain a “Reliability Status” security clearance.

It’s important to verify that you are on the annual participant mailing list with your principal investigator in order to receive all the updates about the expedition plans and the security clearance status.

For any question please contact researchcoordinator@as.ulaval.ca

Guidelines for the security clearance processGuidelines for the security clearance process
Fingerprints offical letterFingerprints offical letter

Participants guides for a successful expedition

This page provides links to all the necessary documentation to prepare your team and yourself for a successful expedition aboard the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen. Take time to familiarize yourself with the following documents. Appendices IV to VI in the document Familiarization guide on life onboard the CCGS Amundsen and the Personal Information Form (PIF) must be completed before boarding the ship.
For any question please contact researchcoordinator@as.ulaval.ca
Best of luck with your preparation!

Participant guideParticipant guide
Familiarization guide on life onboard the CCGS AmundsenFamiliarization guide on life onboard the CCGS Amundsen
Immersion suit donning procedureImmersion suit donning procedure
Health Safety Manual for Scientific ExpeditionsHealth Safety Manual for Scientific Expeditions
Personal Information Form (PIF)Personal Information Form (PIF)

Requirement for the expedition

During the planning phase of the annual Amundsen Expedition, a coordinator from Amundsen Science will ask each principal investigator or team to complete the following forms to outline their needs for laboratory and storage space, rosette water sampling, and cargo. Moreover, each team is expected to provide details of their hazardous materials inventory and indicate any special requests.

Lab space and storage request form – 2023Lab space and storage request form – 2023
Cargo Manifest TemplateCargo Manifest Template
List of Chemicals Waste TemplateList of Chemicals Waste Template
List of Chemicals and Gas TemplateList of Chemicals and Gas Template
Rosette Water Request FormRosette Water Request Form

Survey

At the end of the expedition, fill this survey to provide feedback, suggestions and to rate various aspects of your experience on board. Your input is crucial to improve our procedures and plays a vital role in enhancing our practices related to equipment maintenance, logistics, and operations. Your comments greatly contribute to our improvement efforts. The survey will be available after the expedition.
Testimonies

Jacob Dale

As a participant on Leg 2 of the 2023 Amundsen Expedition, my experience was eye opening. Having the opportunity to work with so many talented members of the Amundsen Science team and crew was a pleasure, and allowed me to learn new skills. I’m very fortunate to have helped team members in my lab advance their studies while working in the incredibly unique environment of the Arctic.

Kelsey Koerner

The Amundsen has been a crucial component in my graduate studies. Both my MSc. and PhD project used sediment cores collected onboard the ship. I also had the opportunity to receive hands-on training onboard the Amundsen and meet other scientists working in the Arctic. Amundsen Science provided the opportunity of a lifetime with memories I will never forget!

Lisa Broder

In late summer 2021, I served as scientific lead of the PeCaBeau (Permafrost Carbon on the Beaufort Shelf) project onboard the CCGS Amundsen. The ship time of our research team was funded by the Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium (ARICE) and greatly supported by Amundsen Science and the entire crew. Thanks to them and the help of our tireless chief scientist Martine Lizotte, we even managed to exceed our sampling goals. All those sediments, filters and water samples, together with the data already collected on board, will likely keep our team busy for years to come.

Michael Fritz

My overall experience on board the CCGS Amundsen was nothing short of extraordinary! The collaborative atmosphere between scientists and staff and the state-of-the-art facilities exceeded my expectations. The sampling process played a pivotal role in advancing our international research project “PeCaBeau”, which stands for Permafrost Carbon on the Beaufort Shelf, providing invaluable data that has significantly enriched my findings. This hands-on experience has not only expanded my knowledge but has also opened up new avenues for exploration within my field. The seamless and efficient support process by Amundsen Science, from pre-expedition planning to the expedition itself and even post-expedition follow-up, demonstrated their unwavering commitment to facilitating groundbreaking scientific endeavors. My time on board has undoubtedly left an indelible mark in my career.

Gaëlle Mével

Preparing for and taking part in the DarkEdge oceanographic campaign on board the CCGS Amundsen in October 2021 was personally a life-changing experience. As the youngest scientist on board for this leg, the rest of the crew taught me so much, from sea ice dynamics, to phytoplankton genomics, and research communication. I met inspiring researchers and students from all around the world, some of whom are now dear friends and colleagues. Amundsen Science provided me with an incredible opportunity to witness first-hand what hardwork and collaborative research really mean. This successful first field experience will certainly not be my last, as it is what convinced me to pursue my graduate studies in climate change research.

Guillaume Cinq-Mars

This expedition enabled my team to collect data related to nutrient concentration at different locations and depths in the Arctic Ocean. The multidisciplinary nature of the research activities on board the Amundsen is impressive and enables us to develop close links between researchers from different backgrounds. From a personal point of view, this experience has been very enriching and has enabled me to develop my research skills.