From the Bottom to the Top of the World: Science in Extreme Places

Abstract:

Imagine trekking amongst the giants of the Himalaya while carrying a portable laboratory on your back, complete with laptops and instruments, as well as an ice axe and inflatable raft. While living abroad in Nepal from August 2013 – June 2014, finishing my dissertation on expanding and deepening glacial lakes, I had the chance to do just that, interacting and working closely with local Nepali and Sherpa mountain communities most at risk of the hazards of a changing climate. As a post-doc, I dragged a sled of heavy instruments and collected snow samples for 50 miles in the Arctic, studying impacts of pollution on snowpack on the Penny Ice Cap (Baffin Island) and how that may impact Inuit communities. Inspired by working with local communities and people outside the scientific community, I founded Science in the Wild, an adventure citizen science initiative aimed at educating the public on science through experiential learning. This has included expeditions to Aconcagua (the highest peak in the Western and Southern hemispheres) and Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest peak). As a newly certified polar guide, I also guide groups, lecture on scientific topics, and lead citizen science projects in the Arctic (Svalbard) and Antarctica, informally educating the broader public about our changing planet. Each experience has lent its own challenges and frustrations. In this presentation, I'll explore those challenges and share how I learned the importance and value of science communication, as well as tips and tricks I picked up along the way. Science should reach beyond the classroom walls and the ivory towers. Science belongs to everyone and through sharing of my field experiences – of science in the wild and untamed places – I hope that this inspires more caring for and caretaking of our planet for future generations.