Goodbye Barentsburg!

By Rebecca Herrmann and Aaron Letterly

 Our second and final morning in Barentsburg found our group enjoying a traditional Russian breakfast of eggs, sausage, fruit, and drinkable yogurt! After filling ourselves to the brim, we went on a visit to the Pomor Museum.  There were exhibits on Geology, Nature, History, and Art.  There was little information in the exhibits so we had a tour guide, Vadim F. Starkov.  Starkov knew very little English, so we had a member of our group, Georgy, translate for us.  The museum centered on Pomor history.  The Pomors were Russian and hunted walruses and whales.  They claim to have come to Svalbard in the 15^th Century, while Norway says that the Pomors did not come until the end of the 18^th Century.  

Calendar used by Pomors

After the museum, we visited the research station to talk to Alexander Tebenkov, the Chief Geologist.  In the room where we sat, there was a map of Svalbard with signatures on it.  If you work at the research station for more than two Arctic seasons, you get to sign the map.  As a geologist for Arktikugol (the Russian coal company), Tebenkov’s job is to look for coal and study the continental shelf.  Tebenkov spoke of the frustrations he has when he has to get permission from the Governor of Svalbard to do research.  But he is also glad that the Governor is from Norway, because the environmental protection laws keep the land nice.

When the visits were complete, we got a few more hours to explore the unique and imposing built environment of Svalbard’s largest Russian settlement. The delta where the town’s power plant empties into the Greenland Sea is a peculiar blend of natural environment and human interference; the glaciers shine pristinely in the distance, but a dilapidated steel ship and oily outflow from the coal plant tarnishes the view from almost every perspective.

We returned to Longyearbyen via Zodiak fjord boat, and the calm seas allowed our adventurous pilots to partake in the arctic version of water sports. The two groups alternated soaking each other with sea spray by motoring through our wakes. A lone bearded seal on the docks of Longyearbyen greeted us upon our return, and we nearly forgot about our soaked life suits as we eagerly photographed one of the more entertaining examples of Arctic wildlife. 

Rebecca Herrmann is a Junior studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, with a focus in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability.  She is from Batavia, IL.

Aaron Letterly is a Senior studying Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois, with a concentration in Climatology/Atmospheric Chemistry.  He is from Latham, IL.

Goodbye Barentsburg!

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New Adventures in Old Town

by Rebecca Hermann and Aaron Letterly

We concluded the second week of the Arctic portion of our class with a lesson on polar research for science, industry, and geo-politics.  Historically, polar research has been based on the linear model.  This model states that scientific research leads to technological development and industrial renewal in a linear fashion. This model is heavily criticized by scholars studying the innovation process, as it was created to convince investors to put their money into more Arctic research.  Coal mines such as the Svea Mine are claimed to have come as a result of the linear model, when in fact knowledge of these coal seams has been around for decades before the research. Historically, periods of technological development from research have led to brief economic booms due to huge investment by both private partners and national governments. The mines "discovered" due to the linear model actually led to a limited industrialization of the Svalbard region; coal mining settlements facilitated some of the first permanent infrastructure on the island. Specialized docks and lift systems were constructed to cope with the brief season in which the ice around Spitsbergen had completely melted away. While it seems that this technological development and industrialization came directly from the research done on Spitsbergen, it may have come about from prior knowledge of the coal seams from other sources.  In this way the linear model is misleading.

After class on Friday, we decided to try a new restaurant and headed to Hermitage for a vegetarian buffet!  The buffet was situated in a small building in Gamla Stan, and could barely fit the 17 of us.  The food was even put in drawers to save space. Though we were stuffed to bursting, some of the group still couldn’t resist the draw of a nearby gelato cafe.

As evening came, a few people went for a stroll around the small islands of Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen.  At Skeppsholmen preparations were being made for AF Offshore Race, a sailing race from Stockholm to Gotlund.  There were lots of exhibitors with their boats on display for the public.  On Kastellholmen, there is a small castle called Kastellet, which was originally built in 1667 and rebuilt in 1848.  This castle is there because these islands were historically used for military purposes.

On Saturday, a group went on a tour of Stockholm City Hall. The building itself hosts the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, and is a popular site for weddings and picturesque views of the bustling harbor in the off season. Built in 1911, the bell tower stands at 106 meters, about half a meter higher than Copenhagen’s city hall.  This was a victory for Stockholm in the contest to construct the tallest civil building in Scandinavia. The conservative facade actually houses a room made entirely of 23-carat gold within its interior, not to mention a regal auditorium where Peace Prize ceremony is filmed. It is definitely a sight to see for someone visiting Stockholm!


Rebecca Herrmann is a Junior studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, with a focus in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability.  She is from Batavia, IL.


Aaron Letterly is a Senior studying Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois, with a concentration in Climatology/Atmospheric Chemistry.  He is from Latham, IL.

New Adventures in Old Town

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Politics, Campfires, and Peace Prizes

by Rebecca Herrmann and Aaron Letterly

We started the first portion of our Arctic classes this week! Meeting the Swedish and international students taking the class alongside us was exciting, but also daunting. The other students are all masters or PhD students, but we plan to make an excellent name for ourselves! Today we had a guest lecture, Annika Nilsson, who educated us on "Governance in a Changing Arctic." The discussion brought to our attention the political intrigue and challenges surrounding the newly-exposed Arctic area. New access to resources has been allowed by climate change and a growing number of countries have developed interest in the Arctic. Boundaries have to be established by countries with territorial claims. Russia has gone so far as to place their flag at the bottom of the ocean floor at the North Pole! While this represents no legal claim, it is a gesture similar to America placing its flag on the moon.

Outside of the classroom, we continue to have adventures of our own! On Saturday, a group of us went to the Nobel Museum. Included in the museum was the "Sketches of Science" exhibit, featuring Nobel laureates with their own depictions of their inventions sketched out on paper. It was fun to see the humorous, and sometimes not-so-artistic, side of the inventors! 

Last night the group visited the beach near our campus housing. Even though it had rained all weekend, a small campfire allowed us to enjoy toasted marshmallows. The water is still too cold for swimming, but a few brave souls attempted to wade along the shoreline to get a picturesque view of the opposite coastline. We stayed out, swapping stories and jokes until it started sprinkling on us again, then walked back with the sky lightening behind us even though it was only midnight.

Getting used to the long hours of daylight has been just one of the many cultural changes we've had to face. Between taking the subway, doing our extensive course readings, and buying groceries in Swedish stores, we’re adjusting well to our new environment! It hasn’t been that difficult to fit in with the Swedes.  We’ve enjoyed our new experiences so far, and look forward to the rest to come. 

Rebecca Herrmann is junior studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, with a focus in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability.  She is from Batavia, IL.

Aaron Letterly is a senior studying Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois, with a concentration in Climatology/Atmospheric Chemistry.  He is from Latham, IL.

Politics, Campfires, and Peace Prizes

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