Episode 011: Antarctica with Joanna Young
There’s a lot more life going on in Antarctica than one would think, given its reputation for incredibly harsh and frigid conditions. But there’s literally tons of wildlife as well as thousands of scientists gathering from all over the globe to research and share information about climate change. Joanna Young, a PhD student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, shares what it was like to be aboard the inaugural Homeward Bound voyage to Antarctica with 76 other female scientists in 2016. Currently she’s studying how glaciers in Alaska are shrinking and acting as one of the greatest contributors to sea level rise. She’s also the Program lead and co-founder of Girls on Ice Alaska, an Inspiring Girls Expedition. Girls on Ice Alaska is a unique, free, backcountry science program for underserved high school girls, focused on developing young women’s STEM, art, and mountaineering skills, as well as self-confidence. (image © Joanna Young 2016)
EPISODE LENGTH 23 minutes
Learn more about Joanna Young here.
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SHOW NOTES
00:26 Scientific community population in Antarctica
00:39 Typical climate of Antarctica
00:49 Origin of the name of the continent and statistics
02:08 The Antarctic Treaty
[02:47] Meet Joanna Young
04:01 Sarah Palin’s thoughts on predicting the weather ([00:13])
[04:16] Climate change conditions in Alaska
[06:22] Research for PhD
08:12 Homeward Bound program
[11:21] The voyage to Antarctica
11:42 The Drake Passage
[13:10] Keeping a flexible itinerary (due to weather conditions)
[13:35] Moving through sea ice and navigating glaciers
[14:10] Total overwhelm! (in a good way!)
[15:32] Misconceptions of Antarctica
[15:57] Taking the polar plunge!
[18:45] Joanna’s big wish
19:33 Girls on Ice and Inspiring Girls Expeditions
22:38 Alan Grayson remark on C-SPAN regarding climate change denial ([01:09])
NOTE: This episode features the story of one individual’s experience. Experiences of a country and its culture will obviously vary from person to person and it is important to do your own research from a multitude of sources. In addition, immigration rules and regulations are subject to change at a moment’s notice–always check with a country’s official embassy for the latest updates.
Additional links:
Joanna Young
Homeward Bound
Girls on Ice
Inspiring Girls Expeditions
Wings Worldquest
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