The first natESM Summer School is in full swing! 🌍

Over the past few days, participants have moved from the foundations of Earth system modelling to hands-on work with natESM and the ICON-XPP configuration. They have set up and run their own simulations on DKRZ’s Levante supercomputer, started analyzing the results, and explored the natESM infrastructure components ComIn and YAC.

But a Summer School is about more than science! Yesterday’s Social Day took us to the Schwentine for an afternoon of canoeing, kayaking, and even stand-up paddling. 🚣 We rounded off the day with dinner and informal conversations with mentors about career paths and opportunities across different fields and institutions.

This morning, Nils Brüggemann (ZMT) and Dmitry Sidorenko (AWI) introduced the two ocean components of the natESM system: ICON and FESOM. Their talks were followed by a plenary discussion. One question was particularly relevant for users of the natESM system: How do you decide which ocean model to use? 🌊 The discussion highlighted why model diversity matters – there is no single ocean model that is right for every scientific question. We also explored how the growing influence of AI might shape the future of ocean and climate modelling.

Tonight, it’s time for a movie night 🎬 before tomorrow’s finale: project presentations, scientific discussions, reflections, and the Summer School wrap-up.
We’re looking forward to seeing what the groups have discovered!