Have you ever seen a waving polar bear?
Janna, I have often interviewed you for Mia’s climate diary. Could you please introduce yourself briefly?
Sure! I am Janna Rückert and I am a physicist in Bremen. I enjoy climbing (even though there are few mountains here in the north) and my favourite ice cream flavours are cinnamon (to eat) and sea ice (for research).
My research involves exploring the Arctic with satellites, and I’m particularly interested in water vapour in the Arctic: how can we measure the humidity there from space? And how is water vapour related to temperatures and warming in the Arctic
What does a typical working day look like for you?
On a typical working day, I am in my office sitting at my computer, looking at measurement data, for example. I also often write emails to exchange ideas with other researchers. Sometimes I look out of the window and think about the questions that arise from my research, or I pay a quick visit to others in my working group to discuss these questions.
What do you love most about your work?
What I like most is the exchange with others, which often gives me completely new ideas.
Would you like to spend the winter in the Arctic?
That’s not an easy question. I wouldn’t rule it out!
What has been your funniest experience at work so far?
The best time was the expedition on the icebreaker ‘Polarstern’, which I was lucky enough to take part in. It was a very exciting time. Once, we saw a polar bear cub from the ship, trudging across the ice with its mother. Then it stood up and looked as if it was waving. It looked funny! It was probably curious and wondering what such a loud ship with two-legged creatures on board was doing in its home. This encounter was so beautiful and I have fond memories of it. Take a look at the photo! 🙂
