Meet the Team

Sammie Buzzard 

  • Please introduce yourself 

I’m Sammie Buzzard, I’m an assistant professor at Northumbria University where I’m part of the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM). My background is in maths, and I became interested in the polar regions during my undergraduate degree at the University of Exeter. This led to a PhD at the University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology modelling Antarctica’s ice shelves, and I’ve worked in glaciology ever since, including some time spent at Georgia Tech in the US, before I joined Northumbria last year. 

  • What do you do within BIOPOLE?   

I’ll be leading up CPOM’s contribution to BIOPOLE so this will involve working across work packages and proving the contributions each work package needs (mostly Earth Observation data), as well as hopefully identifying some additional ways CPOM can contribute to BIOPOLE. 

  • What have you enjoyed about BIOPOLE so far? 

I’ve only just taken on this role for CPOM, but I’m excited to join the team and work across disciplines and expand my own knowledge of biogeochemistry and ecosystems, both areas I don’t get much chance to work in, but I think are incredibly important and interesting. 

  • Tell us about a skill or trait unique to you that you would like to share? 

The impact of the fashion industry on our planet is pretty scary so I spend a lot of my spare time making and recycling clothes to reduce waste, but I also really appreciate the scenery of the North East and do lots of trail running with my dog, the longer and hillier the better! 

Dr Sammie Buzzard from Northumbria University 

BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, 1-3 March 2023

This time last week BIOPOLE community gathered for the Annual Science Meeting at Northumbria University in the lively city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Thank you to every single one of you who joined the meeting virtually or in-person!

A photo of BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting 2023 attendees, in person and virtual

The meeting lasted for three days and was full of exciting and interesting presentations delivered by project members, project partners, and stakeholders (the BIOPOLE community). Thank you all for taking the time and sharing your knowledge and invaluable expertise!

BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting in Newcastle was a success due to everyone’s involvement. The poster sessions, breakout groups, and plenary discussions were all very interesting and productive. Thanks also to the Programme Advisory Board for their important feedback.

A photo of BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting poster session

A photo of BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting poster session
A photo of BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting presentations
A photo of BIOPOLE Annual Science Meeting presentations

We are eager to implementing the suggested changes, actioning the feedback, and distributing outcomes of the breakout and plenary discussions, kindly collated by the rapporteurs, to the BIOPOLE community.

BIOPOLE is also very grateful to organisers who supported us in such a brilliant venue at Northumbria University!

We are looking forward to doing it all again around this time next year in Cambridge!