UCT-MARiS at SCAR2026: Connecting South African Science with the Global Polar Community
From the 8-19th August 2026, the 12th SCAR Open Science Conference (SCAR2026), held in Oslo, Norway, brought together approximately 1,400 researchers from around the world to share knowledge, exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration across Antarctic and Southern Ocean research. The conference provided an important platform for researchers across disciplines and career stages to showcase new discoveries and contribute to international conversations about rapidly changing polar environments.
UCT-MARiS was proudly represented at the conference by a diverse group of academic colleagues Robyn Verrinder and Tokoloho Rampai, and Early Career Researchers including Chloe Levey, Safiyyah Moos, Tristyn Ferreiro, Lawrence Stanton and Lerusha Naidoo who all attended and participated in the conference programme and broader scientific engagements. Their presence reflects the growing involvement of UCT-MARiS researchers in Antarctic and Southern Ocean research and provided valuable opportunities to connect with researchers and collaborators from across the international polar science community.
Chloe Levey, a Master’s student in Oceanography, presented research from her Honours project in the Sub-Antarctic Islands: Sentinels for Change session. Her oral presentation was titled: “Changing decadal environmental variations at the Prince Edward Islands, Southern Ocean. Presenting to an international community of Antarctic and Southern Ocean researchers provided an opportunity to receive valuable feedback, explore potential collaborations and gain new perspectives to inform her current Master’s research.
Lerusha Naidoo, a Master’s student in Oceanography, also delivered an oral presentation entitled “The role of marine top predators in nutrient dynamics around the Prince Edward Islands”, co-authored with William Froneman, Tarron Lamont and Isabelle Ansorge. The research investigates how globally significant populations of seabirds, penguins and marine mammals contribute to nutrient supply in the waters surrounding the Prince Edward Islands and influence the Island Mass Effect — the enhanced productivity that can arise from interactions between islands and the surrounding ocean. The study further considers how changes in top predator populations, driven by factors such as climate change, disease and biological invasions, could alter these land–sea interactions, providing valuable insights into how Prince Edward Islands ecosystems may respond to a changing climate.
PhD researcher, Safiyyah Moos presented her doctoral research, Investigating artificial sea ice desalination dynamics using optics and Digital Image Processing. Her work demonstrates how Chemical Engineering concepts, combined with innovative optical and image-processing techniques, can help improve understanding of sea ice processes and contribute to the refinement of predictive ice–ocean models.
SCAR2026 also highlighted the breadth of South Africa’s contribution to polar research. Dr Riesna R. Audh, SAPRI Polar Lab Research Coordinator and Scientific Officer, presented research providing evidence of active microbial nutrient cycling within Antarctic sea ice, contributing new insights into processes within the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone. Dr Audh and her colleague, Kelebogile Mogotsi-Kelly, SAPRI Engagement Officer, also participated in an APECS panel on Science Communication: Meeting Polar Outreach Needs as Early-Career Researchers, highlighting the important role of communication and outreach in connecting polar science with wider society.
Beyond the scientific programme, SCAR2026 offered opportunities for researchers to build relationships and engage with the wider polar community, including an icebreaker at Oslo City Hall and visits to the Fram Polar Exploration Museum. For UCT-MARiS and our South African partners, the conference was an opportunity not only to share research on the international stage, but also to strengthen networks, supporting researchers at different stages of their careers, fostering new collaborations and contributing to collective efforts to better understand the Antarctic and Southern Ocean.
Congratulations to all of our UCT and South African colleagues who represented our polar research community at SCAR2026.