Marte Hofsteenge

Dr. Marte Hofsteenge is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (IMAU) at Utrecht University, specializing in polar meteorology and Antarctic climate systems. Her research focuses on understanding atmospheric processes such as precipitation, moisture transport, wind patterns, and surface energy balance, and their interactions with ice shelves and glaciers in Antarctica.

Her current work is conducted through two major EU-funded projects: PolarRES (Polar Regions in a Changing Earth System) and OCEAN ICE (Ocean Cryosphere Exchanges in Antarctica). Dr. Hofsteenge employs regional climate modeling, particularly the RACMO2 model, combined with field observations to study both current Antarctic climate conditions and future projections under warming scenarios.

Her publication record demonstrates expertise in Antarctic precipitation dynamics, ice shelf melt processes, and the meteorological drivers of glacial melt in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Recent work has focused on understanding the non-linear relationship between temperature and surface melt on Antarctic ice shelves, as well as mapping moisture sources for snowfall in coastal Victoria Land.

Dr. Hofsteenge has conducted field work in Antarctica twice as part of the Antarctic Science Platform, where she helped maintain weather stations and deploy measurement equipment. Her academic background includes a PhD on Antarctic meteorology and glacial mass balance, a master's degree in meteorology with Arctic climate focus, and undergraduate studies that included a semester on Svalbard that sparked her interest in polar climates.

• Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at Utrecht University
• Primary Research Focus: Antarctic atmospheric processes and ice-atmosphere interactions
• Key Projects: PolarRES, OCEAN ICE
• Technical Expertise: Regional climate modeling, moisture diagnostics, Self-Organizing Maps analysis

Beyond her scientific work, Dr. Hofsteenge is an accomplished printmaker who creates art inspired by polar regions, using techniques including dry point, etching, and relief printing. This artistic practice began during her PhD studies in New Zealand and serves as both a creative outlet and a means of science communication.