Iceworld

Ryan talks to host Nadia Frontier about the extraordinary experience of living in Antarctica through the dark winter - the adventures, the challenges, and preparing for the arrival of the summer community. 
Ryan Mathews was the Marine Assistant at Rothera Research Station, where he works on scientific diving in Antarctica's icy waters, and in the on-site laboratory (The Bonner Lab).
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Produced in partnership with Boffin Media; cover photograph of Ryan Mathews by Marek Figielski.

Stu McManus was the Winter Electrician at Rothera Research Station in 2022 - and due to unforeseen circumstances, he was the only person responsible for electrics across the season. His first Antarctic job was at King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia.
Stu talks to host Nadia Frontier about overcoming imposter syndrome, camping in the Antarctic wilderness, and how his career as an electrician has helped him travel around the world.
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In case you missed them, here's an explanation of some of the Antarctic jargon:

Vikings - an accommodation block at Rothera

Sky Blu - a fuel depot used to supply the aircraft carrying field parties 

N2 - a mountain

Lagoon - an island south of Rothera

Dash - the larger aircraft BAS use

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Cover photograph of Stu McManus by Catherine Maguire. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.

Featuring buried festive duck, the A23a megaberg, and the mysterious 'King Neptune's Court'.  Nadia Frontier talks to Captain Matt Neill of the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough from the Southern Ocean, and geologist and experienced Antarctic field scientist Jo Johnson.
Jo and Matt talk about how they mark special occasions while in the field and at sea, and what it's like to juggle family and travelling for work. What's it like to explore and study the remote frozen places where people have never been before?
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Welcome to Antarctica. What's it like living and working in one of the most extreme environments in the world? From polar scientists to plumbers, ICEWORLD is a series of interviews with ordinary people who are doing extraordinary jobs in Antarctica. The team talk climate science, extreme living, expeditions and becoming a community. 
A podcast from British Antarctic Survey, hosted and recorded by marine biologist Nadia Frontier. Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.

Featuring a missing frozen turkey, après-ski cinema, and Antarctic Secret Santa. Nadia Frontier talks to the team at Rothera Research Station about spending the festive season in Antarctica. How does this remote community make Christmas special while investigating climate change in Earth's frozen places?

Produced in partnership with Boffin Media.

Imagine being the person in charge of keeping the power on at a research base in Antarctica. That's Joe's job, no pressure. Joe Clay was the Generator Mechanic at Rothera Research Station during Antarctic Winter 2022.
Joe chats to host Nadia Frontier about finding his calling with an apprenticeship in the Merchant Navy, travelling the world as an engineer, and getting used to living in an extreme polar environment. Who inspired Joe to overcome his imposter syndrome for a job at British Antarctic Survey? And what exactly is the Gen Shed?

Allie Clement chats to host Nadia Frontier about their work as a fisheries scientist at King Edward Point Research Station in South Georgia, and moving to Rothera Research Station as Dive Officer and Marine Assistant. 
Allie talks about their journey into working as a fisheries scientist, the krill fishing industry, and what actually happens on a research trip. Why does Allie love working in Antarctica, and why did they decide to come back to work at Rothera?

Louis Day was the Boating Officer at Rothera Research Station in 2022 - maintaining winter boating operations for marine biology, oceanography, and logistics around the station aged just 21 years old.

Host and marine biologist Nadia Frontier talks to Louis about boating and diving in Antarctica, Jack's life-long love of sailing, and how he ended up applying for the job. What does it take to keep operations running on the frozen continent? What did Louis have to do in the "sun-up ceremony" as the youngest member of the team? And why does there need to be a boat in the water when planes take off at Rothera Research Station?

When this episode published, Louis was sailing to King Edward Point Research Station on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, where he continued his position as wintering boating officer.

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The cover photo captures the youngest (Louis) and oldest member of the team (Phil) exchanging the Union Jack flag for the sun-up ceremony.

The RRS James Clark Ross set sail from Harwich on 4th November 2020 with a group composed of the British Antarctic Survey staff and ship’s crew.

It was a rare opportunity for those due to take up positions in Antarctic research stations when their first two month of the job begin with being confined to a ship for eight weeks.

You can find out more about Antarctic research and logistics by visiting the British Antarctic Survey's Website or by listening to future episodes of this podcast 🎵

I hope you enjoy this eclectic mix of short interviews. Such a voyage was an unique experience for many and stands in stark contrast to the familiarity of a casual kayak trip, or a day out on a dingy.


Disclosure- I am new to podcasting and this is my first episode therefore the sound is all over the place, clipping etc. sorry if you’ve adjusted your volume many times. This is the first episode of the 2022 series.