Science & Research
Explore important factual science & research information about Greenland
Greenland Scientific Research
There are numerous research efforts being conducted by Greenland, Denmark and many other countries from around the world. It is important to note, however, that the US was central in arctic research, especially through the National Science Foundation. But that department of the US government has been defunded and all scientific research in Greenland conducted by the US has ceased.
Still, vital investigations about dozens of subjects related to Global Warming, Climate Change and the effects of these factors on the land and life forms of Greenland and the rest of the world continues and increases, as these subjects increase in importance for the entire Earth.
This overview of research that is new and ongoing in Greenland will be followed by institutions, organizations and government entities in 2025 and beyond. We urge you to contact us with updates in research efforts that we may have overlooked, and to include other agencies and organizations that need to be included here. Thanks!
Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat
“Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat is an environmental ‘fond’ – or charitable organization – and Non-Governmental Organization that promotes sustainable use of marine living resources and marine protection in partnership with Greenlandic stakeholders such as organizations, local communities, and researchers.”
This very viable organization is part of a much larger group based in Canada, and covers most every country in the Arctic region. Their research and activities are well described in their website below.
Arctic Hub
“Based in Nuuk, Greenland, Arctic Hub serves as a central point of contact for Greenland’s local and international research community. Established in 2021 through a partnership between the Greenlandic and Danish governments, we focus on building bridges between people, institutions, and countries engaged in Greenlandic research. Moreover, we contribute to ensuring that knowledge from research reaches the public.”
One of the best and most comprehensive sources to locate organizations and institutions doing research in Greenland. It should be resourced as part of any search for science sources in the country.
The Polar Geophysics Group (PGG) is a team of scientists and engineers from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of The Earth Institute at Columbia University.
”The research within PGG encompasses a broad spectrum of instrument development, fundamental mapping, and process-based discovery. Our group studies ice sheet dynamics, morphology, and processes; as well as, ice-ocean interactions, and the geological settings of the polar regions. We specialize in airborne and ground-based fieldwork, remote-sensing, data analysis, and mathematical and numerical modeling.”
This group has been very well funded by the US National Science Foundation, NSF, and the National Aeronautical and Space Admission, NASA, in the past, but may be affected by current elimination of those agencies. Their work has been very important in the past and may continue again in the future depending on defunding decisions. But there is a lot of information from past projects at this site.
University of the Arctic
“The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a network of universities, colleges, research institutes, and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North. UArctic builds and strengthens collective resources and infrastructures that enable member institutions to better serve their constituents and their regions.”
This network of some 200 institutions and other groups is the largest and most diverse assemblage of entities committed to the future of the Arctic Polar region. It is another broad based site to visit to locate or identify research groups to contact or partner with relative to any subject related to research in the Arctic.
The Polar Journal
“Polarjournal.net is the leading online platform for anyone passionate about the fascinating world of the Arctic and Antarctic. Immerse yourself in breathtaking landscapes, discover unique wildlife, and explore the pressing challenges facing these regions – all presented in English, German, and French.”
One of the best journals that covers news, science and cultural issues throughout the polar regions, both the North and South of the world. A unique and very current source to keep up with news from these critical areas of the Earth.
Ocean Research Project
“All life requires a healthy Ocean to survive. The Ocean Research Project (ORP) is committed to scientific exploration under sail, blending modern technology with timeless seafaring efficiency to:
Discover Ocean Mysteries: Uncovering the unknown wonders of the Ocean.
Observe Humanity’s Influence: Monitoring how human activities impact the Ocean’s health.
Inspire Change: Creating a legacy of champions engaged in ocean research undersail and sharing our findings to increase public awareness.”
This smaller organization is one-of-a-kind in its approach to ocean research, in that it uses sail craft to conduct its research. Researchers can volunteer as well as sign up as representatives of their missions in the Greenlandic waters. Their approach to research is commendable and very effective, as well.
https://www.oceanresearchproject.org
The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
“The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources conducts research into Arctic ecosystems, monitors the living resources and the environment in Greenland and advises the Government of Greenland and other authorities on sustainable exploitation of living resources and safeguarding the environment and biodiversity.
The Institute has three departments: Department of Fish and Shellfish, Department of Birds and Mammals, and Department of Environment and Mineral Resources. Furthermore, a cross-disciplinary Danish/Greenlandic climate centre: The Greenland Climate Research Centre.”
This is the most significant scientific research facility in the country. It is headquartered in the new University of Greenland Campus Center in Nuuk and is the center of most Greenlandic activity in their areas of research.
Swiss Science Today SCIENA
“The ETH Domain strives to strengthen the competitiveness of Switzerland in the long term and contribute to the development of society through excellence in research, teaching and knowledge and technology transfer.”
Though this is a Swiss based site, they have originated some excellent site research in Greenland that is of vital interest. The website may be suspended at some time in the future, but as long as their research documents are available, they should be reviewed for their content and value concerning on-going scientific inquiry in Greenland.
https://www.sciena.ch/search.html
”The Battelle ARO team provides support to researchers via acute knowledge of the environmental conditions, the limited transport options, political nuances, and the local challenges, which translates into thorough planning efforts and realistic scheduling for NSF funded field teams.
Discover more vital information in the Greenland Guide to help you plan your fieldwork in Greenland.”
This logistical operation is critical to many remote research locations in Greenland, and as it is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, which has been defunded by the current US administration. Most all of its serviced sites are closed. That said, much of the previous research from these vital sites is still available through their website.
https://battellearcticgateway.org/location-greenland/
The Eastgrip Project
This site was a key feature of the ice core activities on Greenland’s Ice Sheet, but has been defunded by the current administration as part of the National Science Foundation. There is still a lot of data and images available from this website though and it may regain financial support again in the future.
https://eastgrip.org (Defunded by US but residual data available)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The space mapping division of NASA is one of the most extraordinary resources of any agency in the world. There are a science based series of maps and related articles about Greenland at their site that are very interesting and informative and that should be resourced for any project related to the country. This website address goes directly to one of those maps, but there are others adjacent to it as well.
https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/map#6/66.662/-51.021
This organization, an affiliation of three US universities funded by the National Science Foundation has also been defunded. Individuals can be reached at their website though.