Meet the world's avalanche expertise

The world's snow and avalanche expertise gathers in Norway. Rune Verpe Engeset, Head of Section at NVE, is spearheading the programme. He is accompanied by Cautus Geo. They are the main sponsor of the ISSW 2024 world conference.

ISSW (The International Snow Science Workshop) has its historical origins in Banff, Canada in 1976. Now the conference is coming to Norway for the first time. From 23 to 29 September, Tromsø will be the venue. Hundreds of the world's brightest minds in the field of avalanches will be there.

- "In Norway, we are good at utilising IT, sharing data and collaborating. Here we can showcase a solid and good professional environment that includes the supplier industry and those who work with warning, management, protection and research on landslides," says the conference chairman, NVE's Rune Verpe Engeset.

On a daily basis, he heads NVE's section for glaciers, ice and snow. He has previously been head of the European Avalanche Warning Association and Associate Professor II at UiT/CARE (Centre for Avalanche Research and Education).

Planning

Norway was awarded the conference in 2018. That was the last time it was in Europe. Since then it has been in the USA. After Tromsø, it will go to Canada.

- "We've been working on the conference since then and more intensely as we've approached it," says Engeset. His colleagues from the University of Tromsø, NGI, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, ISSW and NVE have all been involved in the programme work.

Cautus Geo has participated in ISSW twice before.

- An important meeting place. "The conference brings together all kinds of expertise. It puts the practical benefits of technology on the map and has a wide reach," says Lars Krangnes, Development Manager at Cautus Geo.

Management

Cautus Geo is behind world-leading technology. The company's proprietary avalanche warning system with Cautus Web connects real-time data from its own solutions and possibly other solutions with an insight solution with warning.

- Our leading innovative position gives us obligations. That's why we've stepped in as the main sponsor to support the organisation of the conference here in Norway. In addition, ISSW is a good and important place to showcase technology and new solutions," says CEO Atle Gerhardsen.

He is one of those who will be attending ISSW 2024 in Tromsø in September. There he will meet up to 1,000 others.

- An important meeting place. ISSW embraces technology, research and development and brings together decision-makers," says Gerhardsen.

Life-saving

Lars Krangnes is one of the speakers at the conference. This is in close co-operation with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. It's all about Norwegian technology that saves lives.

The large avalanche in Lom (Knutstugugrove) in February 2020 swept across national road 15. The road was then closed. Cautus Geo's avalanche warning stopped traffic. As a result, no one was caught by the avalanche masses that came down the mountainside at a width of 80-100 metres and a height of 1.5 metres above the national road.

- The lecture fits well with the motto of the conference. "We link theory with practice. We are not exclusively scientifically orientated, but look for practical benefits. In this way, we aim to be a good meeting place for practitioners too," says Engeset.

He is delighted to have companies like Cautus Geo sponsoring the conference.

- It's an innovative Norwegian company that delivers good systems," says Engeset.