Kristina Brown

Home base: Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada

Postgraduate student Kristina Brown is researching the impacts of climate change cycling on CO2 in the Arctic Ocean for her PhD. Now based at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, she holds a Bachelor of Science in biology, earth and ocean sciences from the University of Victoria, Canada.

Her arctic research experience includes field trips to Resolute Bay, Beaufort Sea and the Canada Basin. Kristina’s experiments during an Arctic winter will provide the final piece of her data set puzzle, which she needs to complete her PhD research. This is Kristina’s first trip to the Catlin Ice Base.

Helen Findlay

Home base: Plymouth, England, UK

Helen Findlay studied for her Bachelors degree in biology at the University of York. After travelling she completed an MSc in oceanography at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, and then moved to Plymouth to do a PhD in biological oceanography at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML).

She has completed her PhD studying the effects of global warming and ocean acidification on marine organisms, and was awarded the Lord Kingsland Fellowship at PML to continue her research.

Dr Findlay is interested in understanding the biological, physical and chemical interactions within the marine environment. She is focused on organism responses and their ability to cope with a changing environment, through global warming and ocean acidification, and particularly in the Arctic environment. This is her second trip to the Catlin Ice Base.

Victoria Hill

Home base: Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Victoria Hill is a Research Professor at Old Dominion University in Virginia; she completed her Bachelor of Science with honours in marine biology at the University of North Wales, Bangor and a PhD in biological oceanography at the Southampton Institute.

Her research interests are focused on bio-optical oceanography, including passive ocean colour and active laser-based remote sensing of the oceans. Victoria’s current research focuses on the characterisation of the variability in optical properties of the Arctic, including the development of chlorophyll and primary production algorithms for satellite remote sensing and the impact of coloured dissolved material on surface heating.

In more temperate locations, she is investigating the remote detection and qualification of seagrass growth and productivity along the Florida coastline, using both Hyper and Multi spectral sensors to determine density and distribution of sea grasses and the extent of damage due to propeller scarring.

Victoria has previously been to the Chukchi Sea onboard the icebreaker USCGC Healy; this will be her first trip to the Catlin Ice Base.

Ceri Lewis

Home base: Exeter, England, UK

Ceri Lewis is a marine biologist interested in how environmental change affects reproductive processes in marine animals.

She completed her undergraduate degree in marine biology at Swansea University in 1998, followed by a PhD at Newcastle University on the impacts of climate change on reproductive processes in marine worms. She then spent three years in Cape Town, developing sustainable aquaculture research in South Africa as part of a community development project, before returning to the UK in 2005.

Dr Lewis currently holds a NERC Independent Research Fellowship at Exeter University, continuing her research on understanding how marine animals adapt and respond to environmental change, such as ocean acidification, climate change and increasing pollution. This is her second trip to the Catlin Ice Base.

David Ruble

Home base: Norfolk, Virginia, USA

David Ruble completed his Bachelor of Science in marine science at Stockton State College of New Jersey in 1993. He has a Master’s in oceanography from Old Dominion University and is presently a Research Associate in the University’s Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

This trip marks the ninth research programme in the Arctic David has participated in but this first to the Catlin Ice Base. David is responsible for the deployment and maintenance of the specialist equipment, initial processing of field data and database management.

Oliver Wurl

Home base: Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Oliver Wurl received his BA with diploma from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in 1998, and received his PhD from the National University of Singapore in 2006, studying the fate and transport mechanisms of organic pollutants in the Asian marine environment.

His current research field includes the formation and chemical composition of the transparent exopolymer particles and their impact on carbon export to the deep ocean, which has been hypothesised to increase as atmospheric CO₂ increases.

Dr Wurl is currently affiliated with Old Dominion University in Virginia, USA, as a postdoctoral researcher through a scholarship provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). This is his second trip to the Catlin Ice Base.

Simon Garrod, Ice Base Manager

Home base: Lake District, England, UK

Simon has been working in the polar environment for nearly 20 years, both in summer and winter. During this period he has worked for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the Catlin Arctic Survey, Adventure Network International, Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, the United States Antarctic Programme, The Korean Antarctic Programme, NASA, The Planetary Studies Foundation and Global Film Solutions.

As well as guiding and mountaineering he has also worked as Field Operations Manager for both Adventure Network and BAS. In addition he worked for BAS as a winter Base Commander and authored the BAS Field Operations Manual. This is his second year managing the Catlin Ice Base. When not working in the cold parts of the world, Simon can be found sea kayaking, climbing, skiing and mountain biking.

Carolyn Bailey, Ice Base Guide

Home base: Kendal, England, UK

Carolyn has been working and playing in the cold for 20 years. Her polar experience began 10 years ago with the British Antarctic Survey as an over-wintering field guide at Rothera Base.

Having caught the polar bug she has returned to the Antarctic twice, leading expeditions to the Ellsworth Mountains and has also led multiple trips to Greenland and Spitsbergen. When not working, she can often be found sea kayaking, mountain biking or drinking coffee with friends.

As an Ice Base Guide, Carolyn’s principal role is the safety of the scientists as they conduct their research.  She is also responsible, with Ice Base Manager Simon Garrod, for the establishing the Catlin Ice Base at the start of the project.

Fran Orio, Ice Base Chef

Home base:  Sheffield, England, UK

Fran Orio has worked in the travel industry for four decades, but it is her ability to produce delicious meals in extreme locations that caught the attention of Catlin Arctic Survey when a second cook was suddenly required to join the Ice Base team in 2010.

Fran’s ability to produce Thai green curry, chocolate blancmange, and shepherd’s pie on a two-ring Coleman stove is no mean feat. Fran keeps all the Ice Base staff fed and watered more than 300 miles (480 km) from civilisation in difficult circumstances. She had such a great time last year, she’s back for 2011.

Marjan Shirzad, Ice Base Communications Manager – Phase 1

Home base: Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA

Raised in Tehran, Paris and New York, Marjan Shirzad earned her BA degree in Asian Studies-Middle East Concentration at the University of Virginia and her MA in Visual Anthropology at Goldsmiths College-University of London.

Since 2005, Marjan has worked with various US and UK-based charities on educational expeditions and projects seeking to communicate discovery from remote regions across the globe.

From 2007 to 2009, she traveled to Antarctica regularly with polar explorer Robert Swan, OBE and his organisation 2041, leading media and communications efforts on the Inspire Antarctic Expedition series and promoting the message of preserving Antarctica, sustainability and responsible environmental leadership.  During the 2008 E-Base Goes Live expedition, Marjan was part of the small advanced team supporting Swan as he lived solely on renewable energy for two weeks at the 2041 E-Base.

She enjoys cross-cultural photography and filmmaking, and has filmed multiple expeditions in the French Alps, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and in isolated valleys of Northern Pakistan.  She embraces the challenge of communicating discovery from remote locations across the globe.

She currently lives on Nantucket, a tiny island 30 miles out to sea off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she is Director of Outreach and Special Programs at the Nantucket Historical Association. Marjan will be at the Catlin Ice Base from 9 March-5 April.

Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop, Ice Base Communications Manager – Phase 2

Home base: London, England, UK

Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop began his career as a teacher and spent five years teaching 11-18 year-olds at Eastbury Comprehensive, before developing multimedia approaches to learning at London’s largest comprehensive, Crown Woods School. He finished teaching to set up Digital Explorer – a social enterprise that engages young people with global issues by using the latest communications technology on educational expeditions.

As it’s Jamie’s first trip to the Arctic and the Catlin Ice Base, he’s looking forward to understanding the science and working with the Ice Base team to talk to schools about their work. He’s also wondering what luxury items to take along. Jamie will be at the Catlin Ice Base from the 6-30 April.

Ian Wesley, Field Operations Manager

Home base: Devon, England, UK

Ian Wesley first met Pen Hadow when Pen was setting up his solo expedition to the North Pole. After organising and delivering first-rate expedition training, Pen asked Ian to stay on as Base Manager for his 2003 solo expedition. Since then, he’s stayed involved in all things Arctic.

Ian has helped manage field operations for the Catlin Arctic Survey since its inception in 2009. He has been responsible for completing final preparations for the Explorer Team, prior to the group setting off onto the ice. Ian also sets up and tests all the communications equipment for the Catlin Ice Base and the Explorer Team, troubleshooting breakdowns in such cold, harsh conditions.

His challenge, unique to the 2011 survey, is to reassemble a bespoke bike winch for one of two sampling holes in freezing temperatures.

John Huston, Second Ice Base Guide

Home base: Chicago, USA

John Huston is an American polar explorer and polar expedition guide. In the spring of 2009, he and his expedition partner, Tyler Fish became the first Americans to ski unsupported to the North Pole. In 2008 John guided a full-length expedition to the South Pole, a journey of 720-miles and 57-days.

Along with Harald Kippenes, John dogsledded over 1400 miles on Greenland in 2005 as a member of a  Norwegian team re-running Roald Amundsen’s 1911 race to the South Pole as part of the BBC/History Channel documentary “Blizzard, Race to the Pole”.  He has run logistics for several polar expeditions and he ventures to the Canadian Arctic on a yearly basis.
A native of Chicago, IL, John began guiding 10 years ago for Outward Bound in Minnesota, USA. There he fell in love with Norwegian polar exploration history and cross country skiing. He currently lives in Chicago, where he runs the office of, his and Tyler’s expedition company, Forward Expeditions. He is a motivational speaker, polar expedition consultant and trainer.  He also works part time in commercial real estate. John escorted media to the Ice Base 2011.

Tuk, Ice Base Dog

Home base: Resolute Bay, Canada

Tuk is a blue-eyed husky from Resolute Bay, Canada.  He’s at the Ice Base to alert the team to polar bears. Kept on a lead back at home, Tuk’s allowed to roam free at the Ice Base and bounds about the camp with evident glee.