On one chilly December morning, nine women woke up to an orange glacier shining in the rising sun. These scientists spent their lives studying the frozen zone, the frozen part of the Earth, but most people never encountered it in person.
Members of this group were selected as the first cohort of Hindu Kush Himalayah hkh women. expeditionrecently launched initiatives International Integrated Mountain Development Center (ICIMOD). ICIMOD is a Nepal-based NGO focused on conservation and sustainability of mountain regions in Asia. For this expedition, women from five countries traveled to the Ponkal Glacier in the Gandaki River Basin, Nepal.
there is Estimated The 54,000 glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas cover 60,000 square kilometers and serve as an important source of freshwater in the rivers in the region. These glaciers are currently shrinking significantly Deadline On climate change. The team of women on the ice set out to explore the impact of climate change on the Ponker Glacier. End At 3,651 meters (11,978 feet), it is one of the largest glaciers in the area.
Leading by Chris Fair experts with a rich field experience, participants conducted an interdisciplinary fieldwork project to learn about the characteristics of the glacier and the surrounding human community.
Inspiration: Take more women to Fried Science
Kreis Fair Science is in a Historically Men dominate Discipline. Senior ICIMOD Scientist in the 1980s Miriam Jackson As she began her glacial research in the UK, the woman was not permitted to go to Antarctica through the British program.
In 1987, Jackson was able to land spots on an expedition to Greenland through Ohio State University. There, she was the only woman in a group of 10.
Robin BellColombian lecturer Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory And the former president of the American Geophysical Union gained similar experience on his 1989 research trip.
When Bell had the opportunity to work in Antarctica, she grabbed it and became the only female lead investigator in McMurdoIt is operated all year round and is the largest US station on the continent. The following year, Bell brought in two more women, a student and an engineer, for the trip.
Since then, Bell has prioritized comprehensive science in her work. “I’ve been working on trying to open science for everyone,” Bell said. “We sometimes don’t think about taking everyone, but the understanding is that our science is better for more people to be at the table.”
Bell also emphasized the power of inclusiveness more generally. “Studies have shown that more diverse groups make better decisions,” she said.
Despite some collaborative global efforts to invite women to glacial science, Girl on the ice and Science AdventuresJackson noted that the gender imbalances experienced in the 1980s remained common, especially in Asia. There, many women work in office-based jobs such as glacier modeling and remote sensing, but rarely do fieldwork.
Hindu Kush Himalayas women were aiming to change this. “We wanted to make sure these women return to the community and lead the community,” the Expedition organizer said. Sunwi MaskeyICIMOD’s CrySphere Research Associate.
The final team consisted of nine women, ranging from undergraduate to postdoc students, from geoscience to international relations, to academics coming from Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and China.
Walking on the ice: Preparations and challenges
“Preparation began on the day participants were announced,” Musky said. Long before they met in person, the leader held a virtual meeting to allow participants to learn how to get to know each other and prepare physically and mentally. On December 4th, after months of preparation, the team piled up in a jeep in Kathmandu and set off for the glacier.
Despite the cultural, religious and disciplinary differences between them, participants joined quickly. He currently holds a PhD. In her international relations and governance studies at Shiv Nadar University in India, she was originally concerned that she would become a “strange person” as the only participant who has not studied natural or physical sciences. However, meeting her in person a few days before the trip helped her to heal her anxiety. “The way we all came together and helped each other was outstanding,” Sanas said. “The team dynamics were incredible.”
Furthermore, the face of high altitudes and steep terrain encouraged strong cooperation among participants. Many struggled with altitude and extreme weather conditions despite preparations before the harsh jokes. Silianpan, PhD, German student at Leibniz University, specializing in Arctic Permafrost Microbiology, recalls the day she walked for 10.5 hours and arrives at the campsite late at night in 18 degrees Celsius weather. “I suffered a lot,” she said.
Still, for Pan, the peaks and glaciers were worthy of the pain. “When you look at how the mountains look and compare them with pictures from 10 or 20 years ago, you find the meaning of your work. That’s changed a lot,” she explained.
The aesthetic beauty and recreational opportunities in the area were another source of motivation for participants. “Every day is beautiful. The mountains are so close that you can’t take your eyes off,” said Fineschresta, a remote sensing and geoinformation analyst.
Tuba Farooq, a Pakistani participant who recently received an MPHIL degree in environmental science from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, found that when connecting with her peers past the level of research peers, meets. “We played a lot of games when we came back from the trekking at night. We danced sometimes. That was the best part,” Farooq said.
For Sanas, the key point was that glacial science is intricately related to physical preparation and mental capacity to do the job. “You have to take care of your health,” she explained. [with] No matter what life you leave behind in you, you will do your research. ”
Knowledge sharing: Research and lessons
After all, participants left them with enough lives to conduct their research throughout the journey. They were divided into three group focus areas: glacier, permafrost and social and economic factors.
Sanas joined the third group and interviewed porters, guides, mountaineers and locals. She learned that many locals want a pathway to facilitate the process of transporting goods that tourists demand. For example, Sanas said, “Tourists want coffee. Locals don’t consume coffee. It’s not part of the culture.”
After completing her project, Sanas recommended that villagers gather together to form what they call “code of conduct” between themselves and tourists, promoting respect and sustainability. For Pan, recognizing the impact of climate change on the region reminded her of the importance of research. “Now the glacial lake is gone. The water there is very small,” she explained. “Local people… need to walk 30 minutes to get water to use every day, so we’re studying this.”
Another extraordinary aspect of the expedition was the employment of female porters. Schresta explained that female porters are rare because female porters are usually unable to carry the same physical load as males. Pan learned through interviews with these porters that many people are housewives, one of the only ways to generate income, where carrying luggage is one of the only ways to generate income. She explained: “They want to hike. People who like hiking don’t have the chance. It’s too expensive for them. They can’t come as tourists. [but] As workers, they can. ”
This experience changed the way participants conducted future research. “When you enter the field, there are many other things that lead to life,” explained Farooq.
Before the expedition, Farooq had not traveled to another city. She advised other women to take advantage of such opportunities when they arise. “Give yourself the courage,” she said. “You need to take advantage of it any time.”
Farooq also noted the importance of having a diverse group. “We were all looking at the same picture, but from a different angle,” she said.
Leaders of the initiative hope to run the program again in the coming years. They have already begun brainstorming for their next expedition, continuing to scrape “ice ceilings” and leave for the inclusion and greater opportunities of women in frozen sphere science.
