Editorial
As the Tasmanian Link Group Convenor it is my pleasure to bring you this edition of the WISENET Journal. It contains mainly an Antarctic theme, and documentation from the rather innovative “virtual” AGM for 2003. I’m sure you will enjoy reading about how to have an AGM when you can’t have an AGM!
Tasmania hosts many scientific organisations, one of them being my employer; the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD): an agency of the Federal Government Department of Environment and Heritage. In Hobart there are a number of organisations with strong Antarctic links, including the CSIRO Marine, the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the University of Tasmania, and the state government office of Antarctic Tasmania. Nowhere else in Australia will you find such an Antarctic community, so in deciding on a theme it was obvious to me, as a glaciologist, that I should adopt an icy flavour!
Tasmania of course offers far more than just Antarctic science, and it is my goal to get as much information as possible on the WISENET website over the next year to reflect the diversity of activities in this fabulous state.
I am very pleased in this issue to be given an opportunity to share with you some of the experiences and career paths of several women currently working on Antarctic projects. Scientific work in Antarctica could not happen, however, without the huge logistical framework provided by the AAD. Many people are employed on the bases and on the ships to support the science work including tradespeople, chefs, communications officers, doctors etc. One of these critical roles is the Station Leader position. In this issue we are privileged to have an article by Joan Russell, the current Mawson Station Leader, who provides a stimulating overview of how things have changed for women (mainly scientists) on the Australian Antarctic bases over the last 14 years.
Antarctic science is unusual and fascinating, partly because it investigates one of the last areas of the planet to be discovered, and partly because it holds the key to unravelling many aspects of global climate information. It is also one of the last domains in which women have been included after many years as a male only environment. This Journal introduces you to some of the women in Antarctic science, and will hopefully give you an appreciation of some of the current Australian science programs, and what it is like to be privileged enough to visit the icy continent.
Barbara Smith