Thursday, September 10, 2015

Natalie Robinson - Your Antarctic Ambassador

Meet Natalie Robinson, Your Antarctic Ambassador


My name is Natalie Robinson and I am one of the students who will be traveling and working in Antarctica this semester! I am beyond excited for this adventure and can’t wait to share my journey with you along the way. I first heard about the BURECS program at Orientation, the July before my freshman year at Boston University. I was initially enticed by the unearthly and beautiful photos displayed before me, but had no idea the scientific value behind the landscape, and the extent to which I would eventually become involved in this project. 


After meeting with Professor Marchant the following September, I officially became part of the first BURECS class. That semester I, along with my ten classmates, attended a series of guest lectures from noteworthy scientists and educators. The following semester, I was enrolled in a full 4-credit course where I was able to work hands-on in the lab with samples that had been previously collected from Antarctica. I continued this process when I stayed in Boston for part of the summer to continue with this lab work analyzing various samples of volcanic ash using a scanning electron microscope. Following this internship, I was selected as one of the three students invited to travel to Antarctica this fall. Emma and I will depart at the end of October and spend a month and a half in the Antarctic Dry Valleys, part of the Transantarctic Mountains.  

In order to prepare for my trip, I had to go through various medical and dental screenings to ensure that I am healthy and able to participate. No, back in Boston, I will partake in a directed study with Professor Marchant, learning about the research I will soon conduct. I am counting down the days until departure and eager to share my thoughts and experiences in these coming months. 

-Natalie Robinson

1 comment:

  1. Hey Natalie, your Friends & Family Fan Club are all very excited to live vicariously through you! Can't wait for the next posts from you, Emma & Dan.
    -Proud Ma

    ReplyDelete