The Jotunheimen Research Expeditions are run annually from the Department of Geography at Swansea University, led by Professor John A. Matthews.  The aim is to encourage fundamental research into the physical geography of the natural environment based in Jotunheimen but including the neighbouring regions of southern Norway.  The neighbouring regions include not only the valleys around the Jostedalsbreen ice-cap but also Breheimen (the region between Jotunheimen and Jostedalsbreen), Reinheimen, Sunnmøre and the Rømsdalsalpane to the north, and Dovrefjell and Rondane farther east.

 

The following map shows the core area where the Jotunheimen Research Expeditions operate and a selection of the sites where we have carried out recent research projects.

 

 

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The first expedition took place in 1970 and the 50th in July 2023.  Though based at Swansea University since 1994, earlier expeditions were based at Cardiff University (17 years), the University of Edinburgh (3 years) and the University of London, King’s College (2 years).  The expeditions enable a team of staff and postgraduates to undertake field-based research projects.  Members of staff recently active on the expeditions include Professor Matthews, Dr. Geraint Owen, Dr. Richard Shakesby, Dr. John Hiemstra and Professor Danny McCarroll from Swansea University, Professor Lindsey McEwen, Dr. Jennifer Hill and Dr. Richard Mourne from the University of the West of England, Dr. Peter Wilson (University of Ulster) Dr. Jane Robbins from Nottingham Trent University, and Dr. Amber Vater (independent). The interdisciplinary research frequently involves international participants, most recently Professors Svein-Olav Dahl, Atle Nesje and Henriette Linge from the University of Bergen (Norway), Professor Wibjörn Karlén from the University of Stockholm (Sweden), Professor Colin Thorn from the University of Illinois (USA) and Dr. Stefan Winkler from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand).



The expeditions have also had an important educational and training function.  Since their inception, they provided interested students with an early opportunity to take part in the research process and learn by example and experience from authoritative field scientists.  Over 150 undergraduate students have, over the years, taken part as field assistants and/or carried out dissertations and/or returned on later expeditions as postgraduate researchers.  Finally, an Artist-in-Residence (Robert Cook) took part in 2005, to develop the expedition as an artistic venue and also to explore some of the commonalities between art and science in the field.



Funding has been obtained from personal contributions, the Jotunheimen Research Trust (a registered charity set up to support the expeditions), participating universities and research grants.  Research grants have been awarded by the following organisations: the Natural Environment Research Council; the German, Norwegian, Swedish and US Research Councils; the Royal Geographical Society; the Royal Society; the Leverhulme Trust; the National Geographic Society (US); the British Ecological Society; the British Geomorphological Research Group, the Quaternary Research Association, the Anglo-Norse Society and Wales Arts International.



Additional external recognition was achieved in 1988 when Professor Matthews received the Ness Award of the Royal Geographical Society for leadership of the expeditions; and, in 2005, he was invited to the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace and presented to the King and Queen of Norway on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Norwegian independence.  In 2011, following completion of the 40th expedition, he was congratulated by the British Ambassador to Norway, Jane Owen, at her Residence (Villa Frognæs) in Oslo, on 40 years of Anglo-Norwegian scientific co-operation.



​The expeditions have received many other types of support over the years. The local support of Bjørn and Magny Bjørgen (in the early years) and Ole-Jacob and Tove Grindvold (in later years) at Leirvassbu, near the expedition’s base camp at Storbreen-i-Leirdalen, has been especially important.  We are particularly grateful to Ole Grindvold, former owner of Leirvassbu Fjellstue, and his wife Tove, for their hospitality and, especially, the use of the showers, while we were camped at our base camp in Leirdalen! 

 

In 2018 we were extremely grateful to Ole-Jacob, who has supplied us with a new ‘office’ in the form of a caravan for the coming years. 



Enquiries are welcome - contact us.

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