The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) is an international organization hosted by the International Permafrost Association (IPA) and technically supported by Arctic Portal. The network provides a platform for innovative collaboration between young permafrost researchers and aspires to recruit, maintain and promote future generations of permafrost researchers. PYRN strives to apply its multi-disciplinary talents toward global awareness, knowledge and response to permafrost-related challenges in a changing global climate. Officially founded at the 2nd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II) in 2005, it will already celebrate its 10th birthday in the coming year. PYRN became increasingly popular after the International Polar Year that highlighted the importance of including young generations in polar research activities. Since then PYRN expanded constantly with more than 1000 permafrost young researchers from permafrost and non-permafrost countries today. PYRN built partnerships with large organizations such as the Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC) and the International Permafrost Association (IPA). Under a joint Memorandum of Understanding, PYRN works closely together with the IPA and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) on a bi-polar and interdisciplinary perspective for a better understanding of cryospheric processes for society. PYRN is guided by an Executive Committee, consisting of 12 young researchers, but operates through its members that self-organize themselves. In the last years PYRN organized several workshops during regional and international conferences related to polar research and was active in education and outreach activities in schools and universities. To keep it members and partners updated the network regularly publishes a newsletter. The latest activities have been arranged at the European Conference on Permafrost (EUCOP4) in Portugal, to maintain an active, dynamic and growing early career scientific network on permafrost. Organized together with APECS, PAGE21, and ADAPT, this workshop was kindly sponsored by the IPA, CliC, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research. The workshop included around 100 early career permafrost scientists from 20 countries that gathered interdisciplinary knowledge about permafrost and its key role in the Earth System in thematic break-out sessions and workshops. In coordination with the ICARP III activities, a major goal of the workshop was to frame the future avenues of permafrost research from a young researcher’s perspective, contributing directly to IASC and the IPA strategy with Permafrost Priority Sheets for ICARP III. For the 11th International Conference on Permafrost 2016 (ICOP 2016) in Potsdam (Germany), PYRN has been involved in the conference planning from the very beginning to effectively integrate PYRN members in the process of organization as well as young researchers activities in the overall conference program (e.g. session co-chairs, workshop, PYRN awards, social program). On its way to Potsdam, you can approach PYRN on many upcoming conferences with permafrost-related topics. It will collect and trying to integrate ideas for a successful young researcher program during ICOP 2016 and is looking forward to discussions with its worldwide members. The Arctic Change conference 2014 in Canada will be the first stage on the road to ICOP 2016 in Germany.