I haven’t flown short-haul since 2008, since I first learned about the environmental impact of aviation. It was an eye-opening revelation for me, and I’ve subsequently been involved in campaigning on aviation and other environmental issues as a result. As a climate scientist, I feel like I have to practice what I preach: I only fly if I really have to, and if there’s no other way – for instance to get to Antarctica for work. If I really need to go to a conference, and there’s a way to get there over land or sea, I’ll do it!
I work on Antarctic climate change – what’s making ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula melt. I’m interested in climate models, polar science, the surface energy balance, cloud microphysics and atmospheric science.