Norwegian Research School on Dynamics and Evolution of Earth and Planets

The Norwegian Research School Dynamics and Evolution of Earth and Planets (DEEP) seeks to strengthen the national and international network within the field and to give efficient and specialized training on Earth's structure and evolution in a comparative planetology context. DEEP offers at least six scientific courses a year, of which four are regular courses within the four main themes of the research school: 1. Planetary Physics and Global Tectonics, 2. Planetary interior: Materials, structure and dynamics, 3. Solid Earth: Composition and evolution, and 4. Solid Earth - Fluid Earth Interactions. The two others are specialized courses that we arrange when needed or wished, following “Course-on-Demand” suggestions. In 2022, these were "Earth Magnetism and Paleogeography" and "Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Geographic Information Systems". Usually, the PhD candidates find opportunities in building their networks amongst each other when they follow our courses or at the annual General Assembly. The General Assembly we arrange as a mini-conference with invited international speakers, poster presentations and discussions. However, also in 2022 not all arrangements were held in person, but with online participation possibility. Besides the scientific courses we held activities that keep social interactions possible, such DEEP's virtual writing retreat (which already was implemented in spring 2020), or DEEP Lunch. We provided educational aid in through "DEEP method courses: Introduction to MATLAB", "Writing with Results", or enhanced the skills for "Science Communication - knowing and reaching your audience". Out of the aftermath of the pandemic we also offered a workshop “How do I know how I am doing?” for both PhD candidates and their supervisors to build resilience, self-understanding and how to utilize feedback in a fruitful way. DEEP also has calls for funding. We offer travel and research grants of up to 30 000 NOK three times a year. In addition, we have set up four announcements a year for courses (Courses-on-Demand), which become either Special topic courses with credits or educational ones for skill improvements. For a more detailed description of our activities, see: www.mn.uio.no/deep

The proposed Dynamics and Evolution of Earth and Planets research school will educate solid Earth and planetary scientists in a holistic way, placing the Earth's structure and evolution in a comparative planetology context. Norway?s Geosciences institutes have limited resources for attention to global, large-scale processes and changes related to the evolution of the core, mantle and crust and their interaction with the atmosphere and hydrosphere. We will gather the best national and European expertise to educate graduate students in the DEEP research school in the following overarching themes: 1. Planetary Physics and Global Tectonics; 2. Planetary interior: materials, structure and dynamics; 3. Solid Earth: composition and evolution; 4. Solid Earth - Fluid Earth Interactions. These courses will be offered in pairs every second year. In addition, we propose courses on public outreach and student supervision, and will organise each year one topic workshop as well as the General Assembly of the DEEP School, where the students present their results. Several of the international partners host experimental facilities unique in Europe, and welcome doctoral students for research projects that currently cannot be performed in Norwegian laboratories. This will put the students at the forefront of research in Earth and planetary sciences and strengthen and broaden Norwegian research. The students will have the opportunity to receive small travelling grants from the DEEP research school to get support visiting the facilities, conduct field work or take part in courses, which are offered abroad. Further benefits of the school will be more collaboration between the senior scientists in both research projects and research education, nationally and internationally, as well as in improving supervising skills. We expect that this will result in more students completing their PhD programs in the allotted time and fewer students leaving before finishing.