KUALA LUMPUR, September 24 — Online marketplace for lodging Airbnb along with Ocean Conservancy is looking for travel and nature enthusiasts to embark on an all-expenses-paid scientific mission in Antarctica to better understand humans’ environmental impact.
The unprecedented opportunity, called the “Antarctic Sabbatical”, will take five adventurous individuals to travel to Earth’s most remote continent and join Antarctic scientist Kirstie Jones-Williams on a first-of-its-kind scientific research mission in December.
And, it does not require any formal qualifications to apply.
However, candidates must be over 18, and available to travel to Chile and Antarctica for a month from November to December 2019 to conduct volunteer work as citizen scientists.
They must also be able to speak conversational English.
What’s the mission all about?
The volunteers will collect snow samples and study the extent to which micro plastics have made their way to the interior of Antarctica.
The goal is to bring greater awareness to humans’ impact on the climate in one of the world’s least understood and most isolated ecosystems.
By understanding the impact of plastic pollution generated elsewhere in the world, the citizen scientists will deliver insights on how the global community can help protect both Antarctica and the planet.
“Most people think of Antarctica as a pristine and isolated continent, but recent evidence shows that even the most remote locations are affected by plastic pollution,” said Jones-Williams in a press release.
“This expedition will help us understand the pathways of micro plastics to remote regions such as Antarctica and comes at a critical time to highlight our responsibility to protect our natural world.”
Jones-Williams also added that the expedition will be hard work, with scientific rigour required during unforgiving wintery conditions.
“We are looking for passionate individuals, with a sense of global citizenship, who are excited to be a part of the team and to return home and share our findings with the world.”
Speaking about Airbnb’s role in the expedition, Ocean Conservancy chief executive officer Janis Searles Jones said the partnership with the marketplace on the mission is an incredible opportunity to continue their fight against ocean plastic and raise awareness of the issue.
“Through our annual International Coastal Cleanup, where volunteers not only collect trash from beaches and waterways around the world but also log every item in our global database, Ocean Conservancy has a long history of working with citizen scientists, and we look forward to applying the results of this expedition to global solutions,” she added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Airbnb global policy and communications senior vice president Chris Lehane said they continue to find ways to contribute to reducing the impact of humans on the environment.
“Together with Ocean Conservancy, we are highlighting the problem of microplastics to encourage a global audience to give great thought to the consequences of how we live and take collective action,” he added.
What does the Airbnb Antarctic Sabbatical involve?
The month-long expedition will begin with an immersive training course in Punta Arenas, Chile, where the five volunteers will learn about glaciology, field sampling, equipment practice, and lab work.
From there, they will fly to Antarctica to begin their mission collecting snow samples to be studied in the lab.
During their time in Antarctica, the volunteers will also get the chance to travel to the South Pole, see the Drake Icefall, and view the Charles Peak Windscoop and Elephant’s Head to learn about the continent’s geography.
They will then return to Chile to study their findings and work with Ocean Conservancy to become ambassadors for protecting the ocean.
To apply for the Antarctic Sabbatical mission, surf over here and complete the application form.
The final selection of the five citizen scientists will be announced on October 30.
