Scott Polar Research InstituteRecent news
# Search for Endurance ends
14th February, 2019
Following a programme of pioneering Antarctic scientific research, and successfully reaching the Endurance wreck site, as plotted 104 years ago by Frank Worsley, the Weddell Sea Expedition team have sadly been forced to conclude the current search for the Endurance.
Professor Julian Dowdeswell, Director of SPRI and Expedition Chief Scientist, said: 'Through the scientific data gathered during the Expedition, we have deepened our knowledge and understanding of Antarctic oceanography and ecosystems, and our observations on the glaciology and geology will play a critical role in our understanding of Antarctic ice shelves and sea ice and, importantly, the changes that are occurring here today.'
# Surface lakes cause Antarctic ice shelves to 'flex'
13th February, 2019
A team of British and American researchers, co-led by Alison Banwell and Ian Willis at the Scott Polar Research Institute, has measured how much the McMurdo ice shelf in Antarctica flexes in response to the filling and draining of meltwater lakes on its surface. This type of flexing had been hypothesised before and simulated by computer models, but this is the first time the phenomenon has been measured in the field. The results are reported in the journal Nature Communications.
# Polar Educators International Conference
1st February, 2019
Calling all Polar Educators and Researchers! Registration to take part in the Polar Educators International 2019 Conference is now open. The 4th biennial workshop takes place in Cambridge, at the Scott Polar Research Institute and Christ's College, and will discuss 'Education and Polar Science in Action'. Find out more and book your place.
# Bridging Binaries: LGBTQ+ tours of the Polar Museum in the News
31st January, 2019
New LGBTQ+ tours of the Polar Museum have been in the spotlight, along with tours of several other University of Cambridge Museums. The New York Times and The Times have both sent reporters along to find out about the spectrum of identities that exist across time, place and culture, from same-sex behaviour among penguins to the first Pride event to take place in Antarctica.
# Climate change curation project for school students
17th January, 2019
The Scott Polar Research Institute and Selwyn College Cambridge are excited to announce a unique opportunity for Year 12 Students to curate an exhibition about climate change as part of a project that will run from Monday 19th to Saturday 24th August 2019.
Over five days a group of year 12 students will join the Institute to explore cutting edge polar research with some of the world's leading experts, and work as part of an experienced museum team to plan an exhibition from start to finish. The finished exhibition will go on public display at The Polar Museum from late 2019 into 2020, the Scott Polar Research Institute's centenary year.
Applications are open until 12 noon on 26 April 2019.
# Julian Dowdeswell argues for Shackleton on BBC's 'Icons'
10th January, 2019
Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute and Professor of Physical Geography Julian Dowdeswell appeared on the BBC's 'Icons' series last night, making the case for Shackleton as the greatest explorer of the 20th Century. The series seeks to establish the greatest icon of the twentieth century over the course of seven different categories. The results of the explorers category will be announced tonight!
# Michael Bravo and Kat Austen on BBC Radio 3
15th December, 2018
Senior Lecturer, Dr Michael Bravo, and Friends of SPRI 2017 Arctic Artist in Residence, Dr Kat Austen, were both panellist on BBC Radio 3's 'Free Thinking' episode about ice.
Catch up with the episode in the BBC iPlayer to hear about centuries-old understandings of the North Pole discussed by Michael Bravo, drawing on his new book - North Pole: Nature and Culture. Kat Austen shares part of her symphony, Matter of the Soul, which features recordings of interviews and audio recorded while Kat was in the Arctic on her Friends of SPRI residency.
# Nobel Week Dialogue: Water Matters
13th December, 2018
Scott Polar Research Institute Director, Professor Julian Dowdeswell, was recently invited to join discussion panels with Nobel Laureates, scientists, experts and policy makers, as part of the Nobel Prize Week of events.
This year's Nobel Week Dialogue event in Stockholm was on the subject of 'Water Matters', and some of the discussions Professor Dowdeswell participated in included 'The Oceans', 'Water & Climate Change' and 'Antarctic Science & Searching for Shackletons Endurance'.
Watch the discussions online.
# Institute Associate Professor Kevin Edwards awarded the Coppock Research Medal
30th November, 2018
SPRI Institute Associate Professor Kevin Edwards was awarded the Coppock Research Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, along with Honorary Fellowship of the Society, in a ceremony held in Perth on 21 November.
The Medal is the Society's "highest research-specific award, awarded for an outstanding contribution to geographical knowledge through research and publication" and was presented by Prof. Charles Withers of Edinburgh University, Geographer Royal for Scotland.
In his citation, Prof. Withers stated that the Medal was conferred for "ground-breaking and joined-up contributions to fields such as palynology, archaeology and geography."
# Brexit and the Arctic
30th November, 2018
Richard Powell is speaking on 30 November 2018 in Copenhagen at the Danish Institute for International Studies about the UK's new 'Defence Arctic Strategy'.