As I write about my experience as part of this project in Antarctica, I want to recognize the individuals who compose our team this year, and highlight the richness of diversity of backgrounds and talent that exist within our team.
Today’s project is made possible by a multitude of people and resources, including UW academics, the National Science Foundation, as well as field-logistics organizers, countless contractors, and general United States Antarctic Program (USAP) support here in Antarctica. The project is led by UW faculty members Knut Christianson, Eric Steig, and TJ Fudge, with involvement from a notably large group of graduate students and one postdoc.
On this year’s field team are John Christian, Ben Hills, Andrew Hoffman, Nick Holschuh, Gemma O’Connor, and me, all under the leadership of Knut Christianson. A few relatively unique characteristics of this team: we are all at UW, and are all previously familiar with each other, from acquaintances to good friends. It has been interesting not only to begin to get to know these individuals’ research even more on this trip and their approach to the science, but also interesting as a sort of social experiment to find how we interact and work as a team. A large part of my individual experience on this trip is and will be shaped by the team that I will continue to spend each day with for the next couple months. I am curious to see how the dynamics of this group will continue to unfold through the ups and downs of the season, findings and frustrations, and comradery resulting from a shared experience to a remote location. So, may I introduce the Hercules Dome team:
John Christian – A sixth-year graduate student at UW and about to defend his thesis, John’s main interests lie in the temporal aspect of how glaciers and ice sheets change in response to climate forcing (i.e., drivers of changes in climate) and in thinking about the fundamental principles which govern glaciers and climate. He uses idealized models and geophysical observations to understand questions related to this area of glaciology. He is also an avid runner (notably, winner of the annual McMurdo turkey trot), skier, and enthusiast of Antarctica vehicles and aircraft.
Ben Hills – In his third year at UW, Ben is primarily interested in understanding ice flow and ice viscosity (i.e., the resistance of a material to flow, informally) through use of geophysical methods. In particular, his research looks at how ice-penetrating radar observations combined with models can be used to infer ice temperature and viscosity, which are important to constrain for use in larger-scale models of the ice sheets. He also enjoys skiing and running, and is passionate about the soft-serve ice cream of McMurdo.
Andrew Hoffman – Also in his third year at UW, Andrew’s interests are in remote sensing of the ice sheets (which detect and monitor different physical characteristics of the ice sheet through radiation emitted at a distance from the ice, such as observations derived from satellites) and ice-sheet modeling. His research works to understand how to implement novel techniques using GPS measurements to help to understand regional polar climate. Andrew is also an enthusiast of playing soccer and baking.
Nick Holschuh – Nick is a post-doc at UW, and his current research focuses on improving observational methods using radar to understand the past, present, and future of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Specifically, through theory, he utilizes radar data to infer the temperature and chemical properties of glacial ice. He also uses images of the internal structure of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to reconstruct its flow history. He will be installed within our group mid-season to switch out with John.
Gemma O’Connor – In her third year at UW, Gemma’s interests lie in using paleoclimate proxies to reconstruct past climate around Antarctica. Paleoclimate proxies are preserved materials within the geologic record that can be correlated with climate, used as a stand-in for direct measurements; these include pollen, corals, and ice cores. She is particularly interested in using proxies to reconstruct past winds in West Antarctica, where strong westerly winds tend to enhance melting of the ice shelves. Outside of grad school, she is an avid paddler and mountain biker, and is in general a proponent of chocolate and warm weather.
Knut Christianson – Assistant professor at UW, Knut’s research focuses on integrating field and remote sensing data of glaciers and ice sheets into models to better inform modeling and understanding of the effects of past and future climate change. He has been to Antarctica seven times, and is known for his in-depth knowledge of Norwegian history and mythology.
For more information about our team, please see our website:
https://www.knutchristianson.com/
Until next time,
Annika