If you think ice is just ice, think again.

Jessica MacFarquhar has spent the last few years figuring out how to access information embedded in the ice sheets at the bottom of the world; information about how it formed, how it has moved in the past, and how it’s moving right now.

Jessica Macfarquhar is currently completing a Masters of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury, with a research focus on developing ice sampling equipment for use on the McMurdo Ice Shelf in Antarctica. This equipment aims to collect ice samples from the Antarctic Ice Sheet to measure the physical properties of different sections of the ice. The physical properties of the ice collected will be used to advance models which predict ice sheet flow, which are crucial in determining the sea level rise over the coming years.

Come hear Jessica’s tales from a field camp on the McMurdo Ice Shelf and discover how she and the team have achieved a whole new perspective on ice drilling.