From Snow‑Covered Plans to Big Ideas on Ice
A Matariki‑funded collaboration between University of Otago, University of Tübingen and Durham University has explored the role of shear margins in rapid ice sheet acceleration, combining field‑based discussion with laboratory and theoretical work.
The project began in November 2024 with a field workshop beneath Aoraki / Mount Cook, bringing together researchers from Otago, Tübingen and Durham. The aim was to examine shear margins in the field and align perspectives across institutions. Heavy snowfall on the Tasman Glacier meant that some planned site visits were not possible, shifting the focus towards discussion and exchange instead. Those extended conversations proved valuable, helping to clarify shared questions and future priorities.
Momentum continued over the following period through a combination of long‑running ice deformation experiments, research visits between partner institutions, and participation in international workshops and conferences. Activities spanned laboratory‑based work in Europe, planning linked to Antarctic research, and a subsequent reconnaissance visit to the Tasman Glacier to inform future field campaigns.
In early 2026, the collaboration reconvened for a follow‑up workshop in Dunedin, Putting the Ice into Ice Dynamics. Bringing together graduate students, early‑career researchers and senior academics, the workshop explored ice behaviour across multiple scales, linking detailed material processes with large‑scale ice sheet dynamics. The range of disciplines and career stages in the room reflected the network‑building aims of the Matariki Seed Fund.
The project has contributed to new publications, international funding proposals and sustained collaboration between Otago, Tübingen and Durham. It has also provided space for researchers to align methods, share approaches and develop a common research agenda. As further activities are planned, the project demonstrates the role of Matariki seed funding in supporting long‑term, internationally connected research.
Prof. David Prior from Durham University said: “This project has enabled the cross-pollination of expertise and knowledge from across different spatial scales and enabled a better understanding of the different approaches and methods. It is anticipated that the review paper arising from the project will explore some of these issues in more detail and constitute an important advance in understanding, as well as setting the agenda for future research on this topic.”