The Antarctic ship is called The Hebridean Sky.
One hundred women from around the world are packing extra layers for a trip of a lifetime as the 2019 cohort of Homeward Bound’s women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine (STEMM) expedition to Antarctica. Water Institute member Kirsten Müller, Professor of Biology and Assistant Vice President of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, is one of only four Canadians that will be embarking on the journey starting November 19.
The vision of the Homeward Bound program is to build a global network of 1000 women in STEMM to lead and influence senior decision making towards a sustainable future for our planet. During the year leading up to the Antarctic voyage, Kirsten participated in extensive training, focusing on four key areas: leadership, strategy, visibility, and science, delivered by a global faculty.
“I am honoured and excited to be chosen for this life-changing experience. I look forward to sharing this journey with my cohort, where we will begin to work collectively on leadership initiatives that can impact positive change in our communities”, noted Prof. Müller.
Their Antarctic ship is called the Hebridean Sky and sets sail November 22nd from Ushuaia, Argentina, and will visit over twenty destinations including the Drake Passage, the South Shetland Islands, the Weddell Sea, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Participants will gain first-hand experience of the effects of climate change and can expect to see towering icebergs, whales, and birds of the south including albatross and penguins in between onboard leadership, science, and visibility programming. "We saw humpback whales almost every single day, and it never grew old because they are such fantastic animals." said former UN Chief Christiana Figueres who was part of the third cohort of the expedition.
Safe
travels
to
the
entire
cohort
and
we
look
forward
to
an
update
when
Kirsten
returns.
Follow
Kirsten's
journey
at @kirstenmmuller,
or
@HomewardBound16
for
expedition
updates.
Photos: Polar Latitudes