In the week of March 8, 2022, we wanted to celebrate Women’s Day by talking to scientists researching mountains, snow, and climate change.
They are 7 women from different parts of the world and here you can see their interview. Enjoy!
Heidi Sevestre I’m a French glaciologist that studies Snow and Ice in connection with climate change. I want to encourage all of you to be curious about your environment, to get into the field of stem. I have always been fascinated by nature and extreme environments and because of this is studying to persuade a career in the world of research.
At this moment, I work for the Arctic console trying to coordinate all climate research in the Arctic with her fantastic team and communicate to the governments of this territory. If you want to discover more about her project, Swipe up her video.
Núria Bonada I’m an associate professor Serra Húnter in the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, at the Faculty of Biology at Barcelona University.
- What is your research and what results do you observe?
My research focuses on biodiversity, ecology and the conservation of river ecosystems. Specifically, I analyze how disturbances (natural and anthropogenic) affect biodiversity and ecosystem health. Mostly I have worked with aquatic insects, which are very diverse and respond differently to these disturbances. My place of study is mainly the rivers with a Mediterranean climate in the world, where the rivers that dry up are part of the landscape and have resulted in numerous adaptations of the organisms that live there.
The results we have obtained show that in the Mediterranean climate regions there is a great diversity of aquatic insects, even in rivers that dry up in summer. However, this diversity is very vulnerable to the disturbances to which rivers are subjected in our country (pollution, invasive species, changes in the landscape, climate change,…), and specific conservation and management measures are required to preserve this natural heritage.
- Do you work alone or as a team? How do you see the work of women scientists? Do you think that he is equal to men? Do you have the same opportunities?
Teamwork. Moreover, I do not award research at the individual level and we have several projects with national and international researchers.
It is difficult to combine motherhood with research. That is the only reason we are not equal to men. Progress has been made in recent years, but much remains to be done to make it easier for scientifics personal lives to meet the standards required in academic life. We have potentially the same opportunities, but in practice the percentage of women scientists is significantly lower and many have to give up the dream of being women. There is also a lack of female references, and a better visualization and appreciation of science in schools and the contributions made by the great scientists of history.
- As a scientist, what advice can you give for us to be more environmentally aware?
Having environmental awareness is caring for the well-being of the environment, and this must be done at all levels, from the individual to the collective. In the end, it will be necessary to make an educational change and the ethical values that we have, starting with small individual actions and routines. that end up being transferred to society in general.
Jennifer Lento is a research Scientist with the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of New Brunswick ( Canadá). She is the Science Coordinator of the Freshwater Steering Group of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program, part of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna working group of the Arctic Council. She is also co-chair of the Freshwater Biodiversity Observation Network of GEOBON.
Her research is focused on assessing patterns in biodiversity and ecological function of freshwater food webs and evaluating how this information can be used to detect changes to water quality. Much of the research has been focused on Arctic freshwater biodiversity and its response to climate change. Here you can see her video.
Anna Pérez Català She ‘s an environmentalist specializing in climate change and international cooperation. She works for a tink tank (research center) in French climate change policy, called IDDRI even though she lives in Pallars. In the video she explains her work, how she sees the role of women scientists and five us some tips for tackling climate change. If you want to discover more about her projects, Swipe up her video.
Nina Adjanin I’m an assistant professor at Northwest Missouri State University in the US. Originally, I’m from Serbia,but I have been stationed in the US for the last five years. I’m passionate about distance learning in a extreme environment, with a focus on glaciers and virtual reality. I am an expert mountaineer, and I have done a ton of alpine climbing and sailing,I love combining expeditions and research in the polar region.
- What is your research and what results do you observe?
I’m investigating how we can use technology to help others learn better and in a more efficient way about environments that are far from youth and the general public without going there, and how we can help them better understand the polar regions, high mountains, and other areas that are losing the fight against climate change.
- Do you work alone or as a team? How do you see the work of women scientists? Do you think that he is equal to men? Do you have the same opportunities?
Most of the time, I work with teams led by Dr. Heidi Sevestre, one of the world ‘s leading glaciologists. Being a female scientist is not easy, especially when I work in an environment where the woman is only viewed as a house care person. While working in extreme environments, equipment and tools are usually made esplicity for men most of the time, so we always need to craft them for our use. A prejudice that women can’t work together in the same team, in my opinion, is wrong. Last spring, I spent 35 days in the Arctic with three other women in a very tough cold place, which was the best team I had ever been part of.
- As a scientist, what advice can you give for us to be more environmentally aware?
Don’t be scared to look at the real picture of our planet; even if it’s not a nice view or the numbers sometimes look bad, we can learn something, and that something can lead us to find many solutions that we are seeking right now. Furthermore, some incredible women are doing incredible things, and that as more women go into science, it will keep getting better, and women can do amazing things!
Marta Domènech I am a forest engineer, although I focused my doctorate on high mountain ecology and climate change, specifically on congestion plants. Professionally, I specialize in the multifunctional management of forest and the impacts of global change on the natural resources of the Pyrenees. Here you can see her video.
Anna Albalat I am a geographer specializing in climatology. After the master’s degree I returned to Andorra to continue working with meteorological data and studying the high mountain climate. Here you can see her video.
