124 women and non-binary STEMM experts will set off for Antarctica on January 28 as part of a program designed to address global sustainability issues.
The initiative is run by Homeward Bound, and will be the seventh time the not-for-profit has led an expedition to the frozen continent. Of the 124 leaders, 50 of them are Australians hoping to find solutions for greater climate action.
Participants from Homeward Bound’s leadership expedition to Antarctica in 2023
Meet the team
MS Island Sky will depart from Argentina next Tuesday, starting the team (known as HB Transform) on their journey. The group is made up of participants from 24 nations, including Australia, United States, China, Spain, Sri Lanka and more.
The women come from a variety of STEMM backgrounds, standing out as leaders in geochemistry, mathematics, marine biology and immunology. HB Transform also includes nine faculty members, some of the world’s foremost coaches and leadership experts.
Before the expedition began, participants completed a year-long online course focused on leadership development, strategic capabilities, and scientific communication and collaboration. The trip to Antarctica serves as a culmination of all they have learned.
Sarah Derry, CEO of Homeward Bound, believes that these expeditions offer an exciting chance for development.
“The world needs more bold women leaders in decision-making roles to drive smart, sustainable solutions,” she said.
“Leaders with STEMM backgrounds are pivotal to tackling the world’s greatest challenges, yet they often lack the support needed to flourish in leadership roles, which is why we are bringing this extraordinary group of women and non-binary leaders to Antarctica to reflect, connect, and take bold action together for a sustainable future.”
Australian participants include Zoe Eather, an engineer from Brisbane, and Rachel Cameron, a virologist from Melbourne. Filmmaker Shannon Owen from the University of Melbourne will also join the expedition to film the first stage of the collaborative research project exploring alternative models of leadership.
The team will analyse the effect of climate change on the Antarctic environment
A bright future
Since the program’s inception in 2015, Homeward Bound has supported more than 700 participants from 90 nations.
The HB Transform team is also being sponsored by Acciona, a renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure company and Homeward Bound collaborator since 2018.
In honour of the new expedition, Acciona collaborated with Spanish music group Belter Souls to develop an anthem called Changing, which has been released on Spotify.
While on board MS Island Sky, the participants will be guided through key program learnings by Life Styles Inventory, a diagnostic tool from Human Synergistics that can help them in shaping development and leadership skills.
This expedition is an important milestone, as it marks Homeward Bound’s last journey to Antarctica for the foreseeable future as they look to expand programs to Tanzania. Antarctica was chosen as a site for expeditions as its regions show some of the fastest and most worrying responses to climate change. Voyaging to Antarctica allows for first-hand observations about the impact of human activities on the environment.
To read about another program supporting women in STEMM, click here.
Featured image: Women and non-binary STEMM leaders on an Antarctic expedition, credit: Oli Sansom