USU sociologist to participate in all-female Antarctica expedition

https://www.instrumentl.com/campaigns/leading-climate-solutions-by-bridging-the-sciences/

LOGAN – Utah State University researcher Melissa Haeffner is one of 70 selected scientists that will depart on a 20-day all-female expedition to Antarctica December 2016. The expedition hosted by Australia-based Homeward Bound was set up with the purpose of globally increasing the role of women in leadership and to study climate change.

In addition to Haeffner and eight other Americans, the trip involves female scientists from Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, U.K. and Namibia. Haeffner said most involved are botanists and polar scientists, but she is a sociologist and will have a different role. Her team of 10 will focus on multi-disciplinary research and how to improve collaboration across scientific disciplines.

“I really believe that if we are going to tackle issues like climate change then we need to tackle it from a lot of different angles,” she said. “We are not going to be able to really understand the human impact of climate change if we’re only studying it from an ecological side. We also have to think about it from the sociological side as well.”

Haeffner said she will talk to the other scientists during the trip about the barriers they face, how to overcome them and how to make work they do easier.

“(The other teams) won’t have the chance to collect actual data on the trip because they just won’t have the time and resources to do so,” she said. “But because I study people and I’ll be around people I actually will be able to collect original data.”

The south-bound ship won’t launch out of Argentina until December 2, but Haeffner said work has already started. The team regularly communicates through Facebook and participates in monthly conference calls.

In addition to the research that will be conducted, five faculties will put on training lectures and workshops throughout the trip, including videos submitted by well-known female scientists like Jane Goodall.

Haeffner is trying to raise money to help fund the trip, which will cost $15,000 for the ship cabin alone. She set up a crowdfunding account where people help <a href=”https://www.instrumentl.com/campaigns/leading-climate-solutions-by-bridging-the-sciences/” target=”_blank”>here</a>.

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