Two Teachers to Antarctica
Chris Smaill (a physics teacher from
Rangitoto College) and Fiona Cottam (an English teacher from Diocesan School )
will be visiting Antarctica in the 2001-2002 season as field assistants with a University
of Auckland science research programme led by Dr John Macdonald (University of
Auckland).
Dr
Macdonald’s team, known as science event K012, will focus on catching, tagging
and releasing one of the most common fish species, Trematomus bernacchii,
to determine the size of populations at different localities in the vicinity of
McMurdo Sound. As ancillary projects,
Dr Mary Sewell (University of Auckland) will be sampling planktonic larvae, and
a research student Jocasta Anderson will be monitoring activity rhythms of fish
using an underwater video camera.
Chris and
Fiona will be involved in all aspects of K012’s activities in Antarctica.
Click here to view emails from Chris and
Fiona
while they are on the ice and use
the worksheets that follow
and to learn more about the
seventh continent. Although the
worksheets have been prepared by Chris and
Fiona for use in secondary schools
in New Zealand, the information provided within them is widely applicable to
other educational situations.
Event K012, November – December 2001.
The Personnel
Dr John Macdonald, Senior Lecturer
at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland.
John, the team leader, has been involved with Antarctic biology since
1963. His research interests are centred on Antarctic fish, their
adaptations to life in sub-zero degree temperature water, and their evolution,
diversity and abundance.
Dr Mary Sewell, Lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland
Mr Mike Taler, Senior Lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology.
Jocasta Anderson, MSc student at the School of Biological Sciences,
University of Auckland.
Chris Smaill, Head of Physics at Rangitoto College, Auckland.
Fiona Cottam, Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland
The Research Activities
We are
primarily a field group, working on the sea ice well away from Scott Base (1-2
days travel by a motorised toboggan towing sledges!). The group’s main activity
will involve catching, tagging and releasing one of the most common fish
species, Trematomus bernacchii, to determine the size of local
populations at 'typical' localities in the vicinity of McMurdo Sound. As
ancillary projects, Mary Sewell will be sampling planktonic larvae, and Jocasta
Anderson will be monitoring activity rhythms of fish using an underwater video
camera. Hopefully there will be some opportunity to include some
interesting local sight-seeing as well.
Proposed Itinerary
16 November: Fly from
Christchurch, New Zealand to the ice runway off Ross Island.
Travel
to Scott Base.
17-18 November: Antarctic Field Training
course for all first-timers to Antarctica.
The old
hands
pack the sledges.
19
November:
5 persons and 3 sledges
leave Scott Base en route to Cape Roberts.
20 November: We arrive at Cape Roberts in the late afternoon where we have the use of 2 huts.
We also pitch some tents for
our
use.
21 November: We drill
holes, start fishing and sampling. This continues for 12 days.
3 December: We leave Cape
Roberts en route to Scott Base.
4 December: We arrive back at Scott
Base and take showers.
5 December: Fiona Cottam trades places with Chris Smaill, who returns to Christchurch, New Zealand.
The others re-provision the sledges for more research, this
time at Cape Evans.
17
December: Back to Scott Base to
prepare for the return to New Zealand.
19
December: The team flies back to
Christchurch, New Zealand
Antarctic Worksheets for Secondary Schools
To access the educational worksheets provided by Chris and Fiona just click on their names
Antarctica New
Zealand Education Initiative
Antarctica
New Zealand is offering opportunities for educators to visit Antarctica for up
to two weeks .
Applications
close 1 March each year. For further
information visit the Antarctica New Zealand web site (http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz)