This was founded last year by Gilles Denis, Alexandre Buslain, engineer and media specialist, and Kyril Wittouck, chemist graduated from the Uclouvain. IMAQA organizes scientific expeditions in extreme environments, for the moment mainly in polar land, a way for them to combine their passions for adventure and science in favor of environmental awareness.
“Scientists are asking for such expeditions”
“Scientists are asking for such expeditions but they have little solution to their reach to make them material. This is good for us, even if it is a shame for science”comments the perwézien Alexandre Buslain.
He underlines that this type of missions requires a substantial logistical, physical and mental preparation, out of reach of many researchers. Added to this is the difficulty of bringing together the necessary funding, in a university context often forced to this level.
Finally, IMAQA is not content to carry out the missions: she also documents them through films and documentaries with a view to popular scientific.“Scientists have wonderful messages to transmit and we are there to help them make them heard through our communication skills”continues Alexandre Buslain who will accompany his partner to the airport.
This time, they will not leave together. “It is always very exciting and nice to see such a project materialize, even if I also feel a certain sadness not to leave with him, because that has been preparing for this mission together for almost a year. But Gilles has much more experience than me in sea kayak, and the team must continue to run IMAQA.”
In collaboration with the UClouvain, the ULB and the Royal Observatory of Belgium – partners with whom they have already led expeditions – IMAQA is indeed in the process of mounting a large multi -year research project made up of at least four missions.
Study the impact of global warming
However, for the first time, the mission is conducted without a Belgian academic partner. The objective: to initiate international development. “A colleague went to Vienna in a large conference in order to present our activities to researchers. These have expressed real interest in the type of support that we offer.”
The Umiaq mission is carried out for research carried out in the Danish universities of Aarhus (Doctor Jakob Strand) and Copenhagen (Bent Hasholt), at the Swedish University of Uppsala (Doctor Christian Schiffe), in Irish Queen’s University Belfast (Doctors Richard Fewster, Graeme Swindles and Andrewles) at the CNRS of Grenoble in France (Doctor Éric Maréchal).
“During its progression, Gilles will make samples of peat, glacial sediments, coastal rocks, snowcuffs (colored snow by algae) and various observations in situ. These data, often inaccessible by other logistical means, will make it possible to study the impact of global warming and its consequences on the environments and arctic ecosystems”Précise Ima.
How to follow it?
The public will be able to follow the mission on IMAQA’s social networks and see, live, the progression of Gilles Denis via this link: https: //share.garmin.com/imaqa.
Subsequently, educational content will be made and disseminated for the general public and especially the youngest. “True to its mission, IMAQA considers adventure as a powerful lever for scientific and environmental awareness”she says.
This Tuesday, Gilles Denis therefore leaves not only for adventure, but also to collect scientific data inaccessible otherwise, in order to allow science to better understand the effects of global warming in one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. And if he leaves alone, he takes us with him in his kayak, to share his passion and awaken consciences to the climatic and environmental issues.
