Since 2019, we have helped change the face of polar exploration.

Show.

We illustrate the diversity of polar explorers and celebrate inspiring work in icy regions.

Tell.

We facilitate discussion about diversity in polar research through invited lectures, readings, and other resources.

Help.

We provide support and encouragement to our community.

Prem Gill

Founder & Lead Organizer

Prem is a PhD candidate leading the "Seals from Space" project with the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI), British Antarctic Survey (BAS) & World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Outside of this, Prem is interested in increasing opportunities for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups to enter non-typical fields at leading institutes. As the founder of PI he has used his research to spearhead multiple projects to attract and retain talent from non-traditional backgrounds within polar and conservation science. This work spans a range of audiences, from hosting citizen science events to creating art installations using Antarctic seal sounds to produce Grime music.

Alie Lepp

Co-organizer

Alie is pursuing her PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. She is a glacial geologist and polar explorer who recently completed her first ship-based field season in Antarctica. Both her MS and PhD advisors are women; having relatable role-models greatly benefitted Alie as an early career researcher, and she is committed to diversifying representation in polar sciences to extend those benefits to Black, Asian, Indigenous, people of color, and minority ethnic ECRs and professionals. She is proud to be an ally supporting the Polar Impact mission and its members.

Ariel Waldman

Co-organizer

Ariel Waldman creates imaginative projects that explore the world below our feet and beyond our atmosphere. As an Antarctic explorer and microscopic wildlife filmmaker, she led an expedition to film life under the ice in Antarctica, which became the subject of her TED Talk. An art school graduate who pivoted to science, she was recognized by the Obama White House as a Champion of Change in citizen science. Ariel is a National Geographic Explorer and the global director of Science Hack Day. She previously served as the advisory chair to NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

Jackie Goordial

Co-organizer

Dr. Jackie Goordial is an Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. She is an environmental microbiologist investigating how communities of microorganisms interact to maintain diversity and mediate biogeochemical cycling in the environment, focusing on permafrost systems in the Arctic and Antarctic. Her work is also relevant to the field of Astrobiology, understanding the limits of life on Earth and the search for life on other planetary bodies. She is excited to contribute to Polar Impact’s mission to support the BIPOC polar community, and is committed to the vision of an inclusive, and diverse research community that embraces intersectional identities and contributions.

Emma Robertson

Co-organizer

Emma is a PhD student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in Geography & Climate Science at Pennsylvania State University. She studies atmospheric rivers and ice sheet-climate interactions in West Antarctica using ice core records and climate reanalysis data. Emma’s upbringing in Los Angeles, CA and Melbourne, Australia fostered her interest in global climate change impacts and international environmental justice issues. Her decision to pursue a career in polar science was influenced by the community building she experienced during field work experiences. She is excited to work with Polar Impact to support minority members of the Polar community and promote safe, inclusive field work experiences.

Caleb Walcott

Co-organizer

Caleb Walcott is a PhD student and Presidential Fellow at the University at Buffalo studying ice sheet change in Greenland, Alaska, and western New York. Caleb is from a half-Japanese family in Portland, OR, and has spent his whole life navigating two cultures. Caleb is particularly passionate about fieldwork as a lifelong outdoorsman and one of his main goals is to ensure polar fieldwork is equitable, safe, and welcoming for all. He is excited to be working with Polar Impact to achieve this goal and simultaneously support and highlight minority members of the polar community.

Elizabeth Perera

Co-organizer

Elizabeth is a graduate of York University in Toronto. They received an MSc studying Arctic hydrology in pursuit of discovering surface characteristics of Icelandic patchy wetlands. Previous work took them to Juneau, Alaska, first as a glaciology student, and more recently as logistics staff with the Juneau Icefield Research Program. Elizabeth loves working with local communities to raise awareness on working in polar science, health and wellness, and food justice. They are excited to support a safe and inclusive experience for members of the polar community through Polar Impact and help create lasting systemic change together.