This Month is Proudly Sponsored By
“At BRP, we know that our vehicles enable experiences unlike any others. Living in isolation in the remote Arctic, braving polar bears, collecting scientific data, Sunniva and Hilde are truly living an incredible adventure made possible by their snowmobiles. We are very proud to support them with a way for them to do their important work and survive in these remote conditions.”
On 11 February, the United Nations, partners worldwide, women and girls will mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The Day focuses on the reality that science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Change never happens over-night but it does always start with us. Everyday, women in science and exploration are expanding our knowledge of the world. Whether it’s by conditioning or ‘bred in the bone’, ample research shows us that women are more collaborative, inclusive, legacy minded and trusted with assets (money and people). We make statistically significantly better leaders on 12 out of 16 well acknowledged leadership attributes. It’s time to let our world view of leadership emerge. Yet we encounter gender bias at every turn. Even as the world faces new, unprecedented challenges, women’s work is under-funded and cited less than men’s work of equal merit.
This must change. Hearts in the Ice is exceptionally proud to have the support of Legacy Sponsor BRP for the month of February as we celebrate all women in STEM, of all races, backgrounds, ages and abilities! Let’s all of us commit to reaching down a hand to help a young girl up!
Link to Women in Science and Ocean Plastic Story Map:
Special Announcement
Hilde and Sunniva are joining the line-up of the Women Blaze Trails Festival on Friday, February 12th @ 12pm eastern!
February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, join in and celebrate with a virtual 3-day festival featuring women in science, exploration and conservation from across the globe, brought right into your living rooms!
This virtual weekend has a simple goal, celebrating incredible women, doing incredible things around the world, day in and day out. From the 12th – 14th of February, we’ll meet scientists, explorers, conservationists, filmmakers, photographers and more, showcasing their work, challenges, adventures, research and expeditions.
Check out the website: https://www.womenblazetrails.com/
Tune into their event here: https://youtu.be/tG2td-sltso
The Events – Get Curious – Sign Up to Participate
Abir Fakhreddine, Diagnostic & Validation Specialist, BRP
February 11th @ 12:00pm eastern
Lebanese in origin, and born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Abir moved to Montreal in 2014, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Systems and Mechatronics at Concordia University. During her studies, Abir was heavily involved in student life, including academics and robotics competitions, which led her to be recruited by BRP for her current position in 2018.
Abir’s role as a Diagnostic and Validation Engineer combines her passion for technical problem-solving with her love for meeting people. In her day-to-day life at BRP, she does everything from running simple validations on a vehicle or doing calibration work to coordinating with other engineers and service representatives. For Abir, the ultimate goal is ensuring an unparalleled rider experience for our clients.
Register for Feb 11th 1200EST:
Eva Fuglei, Research Scientist with The Norwegian Polar Institute
February 18th @ 12:00pm eastern
Eva Fuglei experiences with arctic foxes in Svalbard goes back to early 1990ies when she got the chance as a young student to participate in field work on that species. She defended her PhD at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and the University of Oslo Norway in 2000 about how arctic foxes are adapted to live in high Arctic conditions. Now she is leading the annual monitoring and research on the arctic fox and the Svalbard rock ptarmigan for the Norwegian Polar Institute.
Register for Feb 18th 1200EST:
At Bamsebu, Sunniva and Hilde are visited by arctic foxes if not daily at least quite often. The foxes come for a visit all year round, and during summer pups are also showing up around the cabin. During this session on Global Women in Science, Eva Fuglei will share her knowledge about this fascinating and spectacular Arctic species and follow an arctic fox for one year from it is born in early spring until it has to leave the den and start to live its own life in late autumn. You will learn about when they are born and how old they get. How many pups are born? What do they eat? How do they survive the winter? How far do they walk? The talk will end by the story about the young female arctic fox that walked all the way from Svalbard to Canada on the sea ice, one of the longest and fasted trip ever recorded in arctic foxes. Arctic foxes are using the sea ice as a platform to walk on, but since the Arctic currently is warming at a rate twice that of the global average the sea ice is declining. Hilde and Sunniva are experiencing that from their Bamsebu cabin this winter in that there is no sea ice in the fiord, and this may also affect the arctic fox.
Jessika Dammert, Chief Marketing Communications Officer, MARLINK
February 25th @ 12:00pm eastern
Ever wondered how Satellite Communications work, and why they are needed?
While the Hearts In the Ice team spend seven gruelling months – including three of complete darkness – in a tiny trapper’s hut at Bamsebu, satellite communication has been their lifeline for transmitting environmental data, weather and wildlife observations, and keeping in touch with their support team, as well as educational institutions, research organisations and other relevant stakeholders. Since there are no conventional phone lines, internet or 3/4G options in the Arctic, that satellite communication has been provided to them by Marlink, experts in connecting people and businesses around the world and across all areas where regular connectivity cannot reach or is not available.
During this session on Global Women in Science, Marlink’s Chief Marketing Communications Officer, Jessika Dammert, will share some of her knowledge on satellites, and will answer questions like What are satellites, How are satellites used, How do they reach space, and How do they stay up there?! She will also explain how and why Marlink support Hilde and Sunniva, and demonstrate the complex data journey initiated when one of them presses ‘Send’ on their phone.
Register for Feb 25th 1200EST: https://forms.gle/u9bPDVBuupZa3dWs7
Jessika Dammert has more than 15 years of experience in the satellite communications industry, having started her career with the former German and French National Satellite Communications agencies (DeTeSat and France Telecom). In 2006, she joined Vizada, today known as Marlink, and was appointed Chief Marketing Communications Officer, making her the most senior woman in the organisation.
As well as being fluent in German, French and English, Jessika keeps busy with yoga, tennis, drama and (in normal circumstances), lots of worldwide travel. She lives in Cologne, Germany, with her surfer-dude partner, teenage son, and very energetic dog, Buddy!