ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
Homeward Bound
Antarctica Expedition Report
Melissa Haeffner, PhD
National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Scientist
iUTAH (innovative Urban
Transitions and Aridregion Hydrosustainability)
Utah State University
A big thank you to all the donors who made
my trip possible
Thanks to many generous donors on my
GoFundMe page, I was able to meet the payment
requirements that turned this exciting expedition
into a reality. I learned a lot and here are some of
my insights from this once-in-a-lifetime voyage. All
donors received a postcard from Antarctica which
probably only came recently. Snail mail takes a little
longer from the Ice!
Scientists studying the penguins, geology, and landscape of Deception Island. This volcanic erupted in 1969 damaging research stations. The pebbles and
ground are hot from the volcanic activity!
What was my role with the expedition?
As a social scientist, I got to meet and collaborate with many of the other scientists. I also conducted interviews and
studied how researchers interact and work with each other. I engaged in vibrant discussions about the barriers to crossdisciplinary research, how social science and other sciences interact, and how we, as scientists, can work together to
develop new research questions for tackling climate change.
ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
What is Homeward Bound?
Tabular glaciers with cliff-like sides and flat tops. These form when a piece of an iceberg breaks off
and is set a drift in the Ocean
On December 2, 2016, myself and 75
other female scientists embarked on the
largest ever all-women expedition to
Antarctica, known as Homeward Bound.
The goal of the trip was to create a
movement to empower women
leadership in climate science, build crossdisciplinary networks of scientists, raise
awareness of gender issues in science and
ultimately change the face of climate
science for the better. This is the first of
many Antarctic expeditions with
Homeward Bound that will take place
over the next 10 years. The project is
supported by various experts and
contributors including prominent figures
like Jane Goodall and Christiana Figueres.
Scientists receiving safety training before
going on land
The journey began in Ushuaia, Argentina. From there we headed south to the West Antarctic
Peninsula.
Where exactly did we go?
This first expedition to Antarctica was
originally set to launch from Hobart,
Australia. However, due to weather and
other factors, the launch location changed
to Ushuaia, Argentina. From Ushuaia, we
traveled south across the Drake Passage
towards the Shetland Islands on the West
Antarctic Peninsula. From here we visited
many different research stations, islands,
icebergs, penguin colonies and more.
Who else was on the
expedition?
This first-ever Homeward Bound
expedition featured women from
Australia, Tasmania, South Africa,
Canada, Costa Rica, New Zealand, United
Kingdom and the United States. These
women were from diverse scientific
backgrounds including glaciologists,
biologists,
zoologists,
ecologists,
meteorologists, pathologists, physicists,
policy experts, foresters, educators,
chemists, neuroscientists, geologists,
geographers and women from many other
disciplines. As one of the only social
scientists on the trip, I had a unique
opportunity to study and collaborate with
researchers from many different fields.
ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
What was an average day like on the ship?
Our ship, the M/V Ushuaia, included a crew lead by Captain
Waldemar Wichmann and Expedition Leader Greg Mortimer.
Each day, a daily program was distributed to all of the scientists
which included the ship’s current location and a tentative
schedule (though this changed relatively often due to weather and
conditions). In addition to visiting locations relevant to the
research of the 75 scientists on board, a major goal of the
expedition was to provide trainings and opportunities for strategic
collaborations among the women. State of the art leadership
trainings and science education programs relevant to the state and
functioning of the planet were delivered by a panel of experts on
a daily basis. The science training was aided by visits to islands,
volcanoes, penguin colonies and many of West Antarctica’s
operational research stations.
Why were there researchers from so many different fields?
Barbecue on the deck of the M/V Ushuaia
Why the emphasis on women?
One of many purposes of the trip was to
address a systematic divide in gender
representation that has long been part of
the scientific community. Globally,
women are underrepresented in
leadership and science positions.
Women are a major part of the scientific
workforce but are at a minority in
executive decision making roles. These
expeditions are designed, in part, to give
women leadership and strategic skills
and a strong community of scientists to
strengthen their impact in policy and
decision-making in a time when we need
new ideas and frameworks in order to
address contemporary global issues like
climate change.
Many of today’s global problems don’t have just one solution. They stem from many
different causes and require a multi-faceted approach. Prior to going to Antarctica, the
trip leaders established research teams who worked together, before even meeting in
person, on collaborative projects and research questions. You may be wondering why a
sociologist got to go on this trip. Most of today’s problems are problems for humans,
problems for our human survival. They are anthropogenic, meaning humans are the
driving force. To study human-influenced processes without social sciences is just
setting ourselves up for failure. It’s too big and too important a piece to miss.
A mountain peeking through the clouds near Port Lockroy. There are several peaks over 15,000 feet
in Antarctica
ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
Why Antarctica?
Antarctica is currently undergoing rapid changes do to a
changing climate. Studying the cryosphere, or Earth’s
ice, is essential to understanding climate change and
therefore makes Antarctica a prime place for research.
Scientific research in Antarctica is mostly conducted
during Southern Hemisphere’s austral summer
(October-March) and autumn (March-June) when ice
levels are low and more organisms are around.
Phytoplankton grow more during these times
prompting animals to migrate to Antarctica. Local
organisms include bacteria, algae, invertebrates, fish,
birds, seals, and whales are studied.
Where do people live in Antarctica?
Antarctica is home to over 70 research stations which
are the main form of colonization on the continent. The
Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959 allows no nation to own
Antarctica in order to facilitate scientific investigation
and collaboration. On the expedition we visited several
of these research stations.
There are 7 species of penguin in
Antarctica. We mostly saw Aedile
and Gentoo penguins.
A king penguin near Ushuaia,
Argentina
On board device used for collecting
data on location, temperature, and
other parameters.
ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
Palmer Station
Built in 1967 and named after an 1820 sealer who was likely the first to see
Antarctica, Palmer Station is located at the mouth of Port Lockroy, an area on
the Northwest corner of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is one of the United States’
main research stations on the continent. The station has two cooks on staff
during summer and one during winter when the population of researchers
declines. Food is shipped from Chile approximately twice a year to resupply
fresh produce, frozen, and dried goods. It is illegal to take marine animals for
consumption in the surrounding waters. The surrounding islands provide
many opportunities for research. The US houses their Long Term Ecological
Research (LTER) study at Palmer Station tracking ocean acidification, sea ice
extent, molecular biology, animal physiology, evolution of cold adaptation,
atmospheric chemistry and physics, seismology, and of course, penguin
ecology.
Below – Scientist photographing penguin.
It is illegal to touch the penguins without
research permits.
Port Lockroy –
Base A
This iconic black-and-red painted
British base was established in 1944
and now functions as a living
museum visited by people from all
over the world. The base was once
occupied solely to establish British
sovereignty in the region. For many
years it was also used for research
including the first bird-ringing
program in Antarctica which
proved that penguins return to the
same nesting locations from year to
year.
Port Lockroy – Base A
Even scientists have a sense of humor
An old whale blubber holding tank –
Deception Island, Antarctica
View from Ushuaia, Argentina – launch
point and return destination
ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION REPORT – MELISSA HAEFFNER
Thanks to all the donors and other supporters
who made this trip possible.
Walt and Vickie Haeffner
Laura, Chris, Logan and Luke Coulter
Vicki Haeffner
The Jacksons, Johnstons, Reutebuchs, Schmidts
Diane Tapp
Jarrod and Hannah Moore
Lora Golman
Courtney Flint
Douglas Jackson-Smith
Paul Brooks
Clio Andris
Jacopo Baggio
Rachel Gabor
The Mahoneys
Alan Hochberg
Susan and Ralph Murcott
Kelsey Dean
Jen Dunn
Chad Rispalje
Chris Lant
Kathleen Galvin
Mabilia Urquidi
Patricia Thoman
Jen Gurecki
Mary Kuhn
Ray Dinkins
Megan Barry
Molly and Ken Cannon
Jennie Riley
Kristi Mueller
Nona King
Melannie Hartman
Nick and Mike Stooke
Donna Roswell
Kiljoon Kim
Rhonda Brucker
Diane and Bruce Murphy
Cecilia Blattenberg
Patty and Duane Daniels
Linda Heuer
Nancy and Robert Everly
Karen Ryberg
Christina Suarez
Lisa Lemanski- Mojzis
Gayle Appel
Sophia Remigan
Leanne Everingham
O’Fallon Knights of Columbus
Leanne Everingham
Don Veirs
Dawn Roberts
Twana Dollison
Beth Shackelford
Amy Gass
David Byers
Bernice and Jack Shaheen
Tiffany Espinosa
Martin Buchert
Joe Blankenship
Charlie Matthies
Karen and Paul Rettig
Jerry Mark
Dawn Roberts
Guari Manglik
Satya Gummuluri
Ashley D’Antonio