Two researchers from Ā鶹ֱ²„ have witnessed the effects of climate change up close as part of the inaugural Homeward Bound women-in-science leadership expedition ā the biggest-ever female expedition to Antarctica.
The three-week long expedition brought together 76 women, each with a background in science, to develop their leadership capacity and to discuss effective ways to fight for the future of the planet.
Geographer and social demographer Dr Amanda Davies, of Curtinās School of Built Environment, and built environment researcher Dr Samantha Hall, of the Ā鶹ֱ²„ Sustainability Policy Institute, joined participants from all over the world for the expedition, which departed for Antarctica from Ushuaia in Argentina on 2 December.
Dr Davies said the Australian-led expedition was designed both to promote women in science and highlight the impact of climate change on the planet.
āDespite major advancements in gender equity, women still only make up 28 per cent of the worldās science researchers and occupy less than 10 per cent of senior leadership positions,ā Dr Davies said.
āAs we face the pressing challenges presented by climate change, we need to find ways to ensure we use all the talent we have.
āWe need to ensure that we have a diversity at the leadership table.ā
Dr Davies said during the expedition she saw for herself the impacts of climate change, with colonies of penguins moving further towards the South Pole each year.
āWhile some species of penguins have been able to adapt to the warming climate, this is not an option for all species,ā Dr Davies said.
Dr Davies also visited the USAās Palmer Research Station and discussed with the scientists the results of their nearly three decades of monitoring of the Antarctic environment.
āThe impact of global warming is very real and plain to see ā in an environment like that it is hard to ignore that climate change is a massive problem,ā she said.
While in Antarctica the women worked collaboratively on a number of projects that brought together researchers from scientific and social science disciplines.
Dr Davies said the interdisciplinary projects had seen the emergence of exciting new ideas for addressing global climate change and improving female representation in senior leadership.
āHomeward Bound brought together 76 leading scientists from around the world who will now work together on joint research projects and find innovative and appropriate strategies for addressing climate change and gender equity in leadership,ā Dr Davies said.
The expedition to Antarctica was led by Australian mountaineer Greg Mortimer OAM and āunsurprisingly involved lots of mountain climbingā, according to Dr Davies.
Homeward Bound, conceived by leadership activist Fabian Dattner and Antarctic marine ecological modeler Jess Melbourne Thomas, is a leadership, strategic and science initiative for women that has turned into a global movement. It aims to heighten the influence and impact of women with a science background on policy and decision-making which affects the planet.
The program has gained global media attention and was included in Fortuneās .
Women who participated in the inaugural expedition included astronomers, engineers, physicists, science communicators, Antarctic and Arctic specialists, doctors and social scientists.
More information about the Homeward Bound project and participants in the recent expedition can be found on the organisationās .
Applications for the next Homeward Bound program, to depart in 2018, open on 17 January 2017.
