Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition 2007
Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition 2007
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Trans- Antarctic Expedition in 1956/8, the Fuchs Foundation is supporting four teachers, two men and two women, on an expedition to the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica during November and December 2007. The teachers will carry out science projects under the umbrella of coping with extremes and defining the ecological footprint.
These remarkable teachers, three of them at the start of their career, had to undergo a gruelling three day selection process and came through with excellent credentials and total commitment to the project. They will have an inspiring opportunity to experience, at first hand, the science and geography they will teach their students. They will have to draw on all their resources, both mental and physical to succeed in this expedition and they will go on to inspire their students with their experiences.
The run up to the expedition will focus on the vigorous preparation of undergoing expedition and polar training. On their return they will produce teaching materials which will be available for all on the Fuchs Foundation’s website.
This will be the first Fuchs Foundation Expedition. It is planned to carry out annual trips to the Polar Regions and use the expertise gained to inform and educate other teachers and students. In order for these expeditions to continue to bring alive science and geography and inspire teachers to inspire students, the Fuchs Foundation has to raise £70,000 a year and, also each teacher will be working hard to raise a significant £10,000 locally to participate in this innovative project.
TEACHERS’ DETAILS
Philip Avery is KS3 coordinator for geography at Oxted School, Oxted.
Project: Temperature Torture
To cope with extreme cold should you be fat or fit? Lunching on lard or Weetabix?
Clothed in cotton or
Gore
Tex
?
Phil will be trying to understand how humans survive temperatures as low as -90c (plus wind chill of course!). The team will be lending their bodies to the study and while surviving in
Antarctica
will have their faces and hands regularly plunged into iced water to see if it really does cause the heart rate to slow. The ice will not be the only thing that is blue!
Ruth Hollinger is a geography teacher at Tapton School, Sheffield
Project 1: Take only photographs, leave only footprints, and tread lightly on the earth.
An ecological footprint is the measure of consumption of resources. It is calculated in terms of the total area of land required per person to meet their food, energy, raw material, water and wastewater disposal needs. The larger the footprint, the larger the impact. What impact will the Fuchs Foundation Teachers Expedition make?
Project 2: Funky Fieldwork – A Virtual Fieldtrip to Union Glacier
In addition glaciological work will be undertaken on the Union Glacier measuring its characteristics and global warming. All results will be set up in a virtual fieldtrip.
Amy Rogers
is a science teacher at Higham Lane School,
Nuneaton
Project: Naked in
Antarctica
(and loving it)
Lichens are one of the only living organisms that have adapted to survive the extreme conditions of the Antarctic continent. They are also extremely sensitive to environmental pollution and potentially can be used as bio-indicators for atmospheric changes resulting from human activity. The aim is to collect lichens and investigate their ecology in areas of
Antarctica
where they have not previously been studied.
Ian Richardson
is Head of Biology, Freman College, Buntingford, Hertfordshire.
Project: There’s No Way to Degrade a Tardigrade!
Ian’s project aims to study the remarkable microfauna of the
Ellsworth
Mountains.
The qualities needed to survive the extraordinary environmental conditions of the inner reaches of the Antarctic continent are shown by a unique collection of microscopic organisms. Among them are the strange and cuddly tardigrades (or ‘Water Bears’). These creatures can enter a remarkable state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis, in which they can endure the most punishing temperatures with apparent ease. There are at least three species unique to the
Ellsworth
Mountains
and we know little about them. Who knows what else we might find?
Page last modified: 22nd Jun 2007 - 09:41:46
