| Cryosphere physics belongs to the geophysics discipline in the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland. Due to the northern location of Finland cryosphere has been long time one of the primary fields in geophysical education and research. In the university geophysics it starts from the 2nd year level, with the course "Geophysics of snow and ice" covering snow and ice in all their form in the Earth. In the graduate education specific field courses are arranged every two years devoting to sea ice, freshwater ice, snow or glaciers. PhD courses have been arranged in collaboration with other universities active in cryosphere.
Snow and ice courses have been also given to high school teachers to begin with special winter courses for high school students. Such activity has started in a few high schools, and our staff has provided help to those schools with lectures and measurement techniques. Snow and ice questions are in the media practically every day in the winter time, discussing skiing conditions, safety for travellers on lake ice and sea ice, problems with snow storms and many other positive and negative outcomes from the cold season. |