Galina Jonat
My name is Galina and I’m a PhD candidate working on permafrost modelling under the supervision of Stephan Gruber. My research is focused on developing a climate service in the context of permafrost change. Specifically, I aim to reduce uncertainties in simulations of future permafrost change by reducing and quantifying uncertainties in the climate model data and examining how these impact simulations of permafrost.
I got bitten by the Arctic bug during a semester on exchange at the Arctic Technology Centre of the Technical University of Denmark (Arctic DTU). Seeing firsthand how climate change impacted people’s livelihoods led me to pivot my studies in Engineering and ICT towards the context of climate change in the Arctic. Still, I came into the world of permafrost modelling as a complete rookie and it’s been a steep learning curve ever since!
Over the last few years, I have had the great fortune to conduct fieldwork campaigns in Chief Drygeesee territory, the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. This gave me the chance to move from my tidy simulations to the many faces and places of permafrost — getting stuck in a retrogressive thaw slump was an experience I won’t soon forget.
At the time of writing, I am working on bias-correcting climate model data to make my simulations more accurate on a scale smaller than the climate models provide for. This involves working on climate statistics as well as a _lot_ of programming.
I’ve also had a great deal of fun working with the ArcticNet Student Association supporting their education and outreach activities. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time hiking, running, camping, and exploring Ottawa by bike.