Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with UAA researchers in Antarctica
by Michelle Saport |
Left to right: Jennifer Burns (UAA professor), Michelle Shero (UAA post-doctoral student), Roxanne Beltran (UAA-UAF doctoral student), John Kerry, Amy Kirkham (UAA-UAF doctoral student), Skyla Walcott (UAA master's student) and Rachel Berngartt (DVM, UAA research professional).
Secretary of State John Kerry visited McMurdo Station, Antarctica, on Nov. 11 to speak with polar researchers whose work is supported by the National Science Foundation.
During the visit, Kerry met with a team of Alaska scientists, led by UAA's Jennifer Burns, who are studying Weddell seals in Erebus Bay. The team's four-year study aims to determine how climate change is affecting the mammals' life cycles, specifically their breeding and molting patterns. The research team is collecting data on hormone levels, diving patterns, body mass and speed of fur regeneration. Funded by a National Science Foundation research grant, the project also includes a strong education and outreach component.
Learn more about the project:
- Weddell Seals in the Ross Sea
- The Graduates of Seal Team 6: Roxanne Beltran and Amy Kirkham (PDF, 14.9 MB)
"Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with UAA researchers in Antarctica" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.