I’m Arthi Ramachandran!

My passion for the marine sciences began in high school when I had the opportunity to participate in an educational program at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada. This amazing experience sparked my interest in Marine Biology and Conservation and started me on the path towards becoming a scientist.

Following my passion for science, I received my BSc in Biology and went on to pursue a PhD in Microbial Ecology, both at Concordia University. During my graduate studies, I am focusing on Arctic ecosystems, which gave me the opportunity to conduct research in the Arctic Ocean both on CCGS Louis S. St.-Laurent, Canada’s largest icebreaker, and at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Nunavut. My research expeditions allowed me to witness the dramatic effects of climate change to Arctic ecosystems first hand. They also gave me the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with members of Northern communities about how climate change is directly affecting their ways of life. These exchanges changed my outlook on how science can inform policy, which ultimately inspired me to redirect my career path towards science policy. I have been using my scientific education to inform policies within the Canadian government as a policy analyst with Natural Resources Canada.

Being a Polar Explorer means respecting the environment, and in the case of the Arctic, respecting and acknowledging the Northern and Indigenous community members and their ways of knowledge and living.

I was born and raised in Montreal as a first-generation Indian-Canadian and feel very strongly connected to both of my cultures. I always strived to stay in touch with my Tamil roots through active involvement in South Indian arts and cultural associations, and received training in classical music and dance.

I had always been drawn to the ocean for as along as I could remember but I never thought I would have the opportunity to see the Canadian Arctic Ocean.

When I was given the opportunity to go on a research expedition to the Canada Basin in 2017, I was over the moon. The first time that I felt a deep connection with the Arctic and my research was when I stood on top of 1m thick sea ice with 3500m Arctic Ocean water underneath it. It dawned on me how fragile the ice has become and how important the Arctic ecosystem is, not only to those living in there, but globally.

My family and friends are very supportive of the research I have been conducting in the Arctic. I would say that they are also a little jealous that I'm able to visit the Canadian Arctic, which isn't as accessible to most people. In fact, I think that the pictures I've taken during my time in the Arctic has provided my loved ones with a more concrete evidence of the drastic effects of climate change.

In the future, my goal is to help shape policies that will increase biodiversity preservation and mitigate the negative effects on remote communities.

My advice for those going into the polar research is to respect the people and the environment. Research in the North should be for the North and in equal partnership with the North. Keep in mind the motto "Research by the North, for the North, in the North". We need to ensure to break any remaining colonial roots of science conducted in the North.

Representation is critical. We need more diverse and unique perspectives to keep pushing the field of Polar research forward in new and innovative directions.

Arthi Ramachandran can be found on Twitter at @arthi_ramac, Instagram at @arthi_ramac, and Facebook.