When asked to picture a wildfire, most people imagine a forest—trees burning, smoke billowing, and flames casting shadows. Images of wildfire are becoming more familiar as large fires make headlines across the US. But the effects of fire extend beyond forests. 

P-GraSC is launching a new initiative for the 2026-27 academic year, centered on building interdisciplinary connections among PCC graduate students and post-doctoral scholars engaged in climate solutions work. The group will follow a cohort model, with participants meeting once per quarter to share brief presentations of their research, engage in feedback and discussion sessions, and build interdisciplinary connections. 

Through the Climate Solutions Fund, I was able fly to Churchill, Manitoba for outreach with the local school and field sampling. It was during the sea-ice algae spring bloom, a time of high productivity crucial to local ecosystems. Churchill is a small subarctic community on Hudson Bay with polar bears, belugas, and the northern lights that can only be accessed by airplane or train.