I’m Antonia Cristi!
My name is Antonia. I am from Coyhaique, a small city in the Chilean Patagonia and currently, I am doing my PhD with NIWA (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric) and the University of Otago in New Zealand studying phytoplankton ecology in the Ross Sea, Antarctica.
My academic background is in biochemistry, but I have always worked in molecular ecology, marine microbiology, and biological oceanography. My main interest is around connecting processes at different scales, for example by understanding the physiological adaptations of key species, we can then understand why and when some phytoplankton species are present in certain regions. This is important for understanding biogeochemical processes (such as the carbon cycle) and to predict what could happen under future environmental conditions (such as warmer temperatures and different nutrient concentrations). To do this I use a combination of laboratory and field experiments in addition to timeseries from different Antarctic cruises.
I am from Coyhaique, a small city in the middle of Chilean Patagonia surrounded by lakes, fjords, and glaciers. The city is really disconnected from the rest of the country, so I spent most of my holidays skiing, camping, and exploring the region with my family. Growing up in Patagonia I always loved places that felt wild and remote, which is one of the reasons why I chose to do my PhD in New Zealand and why I was drawn to Antarctic research as well. Chile has always had a strong connection with Antarctica, especially with the Antarctic peninsula. But I never met Antarctic researchers until I was at university. So, although I grew up fascinated with Antarctica and always wanted to visit, I never really knew that I could work there. The moment when the pieces came together was after I took a marine microbiology class as an undergraduate. A few lectures featured Antarctic ecosystems, and I was amazed and deeply inspired to see processes connected at such different scales (from molecular basis of photosynthesis to carbon cycle and food web processes). Since then, I have been involved in Antarctic research.
Everyone has always been surprised that I ended up working in marine sciences around the Southern Ocean. I have always gotten seasick, badly seasick, and my goal of going to Antarctica made me get out of my comfort zone to the point that I was willing to be seasick for weeks just to get there.
On my first Antarctic fieldtrip we sailed from Wellington to the Ross Sea, it took 10 days to get there and crossing the Southern Ocean involved 12 m swells.
The first few days were tough but, in the end, I only felt seasick for 3 days (from a 6-week trip, so not that bad) and this also proved to me that I can handle discomfort better than I was expecting. The whole trip was amazing, and I was lucky enough to sail with two friends, so having people to share my experience was refreshing and helped make the entire experience even better. Today my friends and family are used to me being away. They are proud of what I have achieved and the places I have visited. I know they are as excited as me to see where I end up going in the future.
In the short term, I hope to get a postdoc (1-2 year research position to help me expand my research skills) where I can keep working on Antarctic science. I would love to go back to the continent and spend some time in one of the bases instead of just sailing around the coasts. In the long term, I would love to expand some of my research to the Arctic. I would also love to engage more with policy and science communication around Antarctic research. I am truly inspired by the many women I have come across in my career that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me trust in my skills.
To anyone interested in doing Antarctic research, the main advice would be to not be afraid of discomfort.
Most of the time you can handle it better than you expect. Stay around people who believe in your skills and want to help you get to the places you want to go and say yes to the opportunities that appear on the way, even if that sounds scary at the moment.
Follow along with Antonia on Twitter: Antonia Cristi