Early-Career Researchers Driving Change in Ross Sea Polar Science

Alina Madita Wieczorek

This past year, a group of MAC³ early-career researcher fellows (ECRs), including myself, had the unique opportunity to join the 2024 voyage of the RV Laura Bassi to explore the Ross Sea. For many of us it was our first polar expedition. Over two months, we navigated not only icy waters but also the challenges of being an ECR in today’s academic world. We got together and shared our experiences in a paper which has just been published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science.

Read the full article: https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/82/7/fsaf099/8191730?login=true

Lana Young/Antarctic Science Platform: Group of Early Career Researchers (ECR’s) funded by MAC3 Impact Philanthropies for Antarctic research on the RV Laura Bassi voyage to the Ross Sea, accompanied by science leads (Prof Pierpaolo Falco and Dr Craig Stevens). Back row: Prof Pierpaolo Falco, Jasmin McInerney, Dr Naomi Krauzig, Dr Svenja Halfter, Simone di Palma, Angela Garzia, Dr Craig Stevens, Nancy Lucà, Georgia Pollard. Front row: Ciro Rappazzo and Dr Alina Wieczorek.

Key insights from the paper include:

🌊 Ross Sea complexity and connectivity: The Ross Sea ecosystem is shaped by interconnected physical, chemical, and biological processes. From haloclines affecting nutrient distribution to the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water and seasonal phytoplankton blooms, understanding these interactions requires integrated, multidisciplinary observations. Traditional isolated measurements miss the broader picture, while collocated, multi-team sampling, like that on the 2024 RV Laura Bassi expedition provides a more holistic understanding.

Interconnected physical, biogeochemical, and biological processes in the Ross Sea region.

👩‍🔬 Early-Career Researcher perspectives: ECRs bring innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to complex questions. However, challenges such as short-term contracts, financial instability, and frequent relocations impact career sustainability. Many ECRs reported taking less research-intensive roles to maintain stability, highlighting the need for long-term support.

🌐 International and multidisciplinary collaboration: Collaborative efforts between Italy and New Zealand, as well as the broader global network, demonstrated the value of sharing expertise, resources, and data. ECRs emphasized that informal interactions on expeditions can spark new research ideas and foster lasting professional networks.

⚖️ Gender diversity and inclusivity: The expedition included 19 female scientists out of 45 participants, illustrating how diversity enriches perspectives and scientific approaches. ECRs stressed the need for continued progress in making fieldwork more inclusive, especially for women and underrepresented groups.

📡 Future observational needs: The paper identifies critical strategies for advancing Ross Sea research:

  • Long-term, year-round monitoring using ships, moorings, autonomous vehicles, and uncrewed aerial systems
  • FAIR data principles to ensure findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable datasets
  • Integrated measurements collocated in time and space to capture physical, chemical, and biological interactions
  • Sustainable fieldwork practices, including reducing carbon footprint, optimizing ship operations, and increasing instrument reuse

🤝 Recommendations for supporting ECRs and research sustainability:

  • Provide longer contracts and fair wages to reduce career uncertainty
  • Include ECRs in project planning, data analysis, and authorship
  • Strengthen multidisciplinary and international networks
  • Increase long-term funding for ocean observation and climate research
  • Promote mental health, safety, and inclusive working conditions during fieldwork
  • Enhance public engagement and science communication

The paper concludes that ECRs are uniquely positioned to drive innovation in polar research, embracing FAIR data practices, environmentally sustainable methodologies, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. By investing in the next generation of scientists, the research community can ensure more holistic understanding and effective management of polar ecosystems in the face of climate change.

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Published by Alina Madita Wieczorek

I am a Fisheries Acoustician at Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA), based in Wellington. My work focuses on integrating acoustic and trawl data to estimate the abundance and biomass of key commercial fish stocks such as hoki, blue whiting, and orange roughy, as well as mesopelagic and Antarctic species that play important roles in marine ecosystems. As project leader for scampi (Metanephrops challengeri) trawl and camera surveys, I am responsible for survey design, planning, and execution. I have participated in more than 15 research voyages to date, serving as both voyage and shift leader. My work includes the collection and analysis of acoustic, oceanographic, and biological data. A key part of my current research is combining environmental DNA (eDNA) with active acoustics to better understand the distribution, diversity, and biomass of mid-trophic level organisms. I have successfully applied this approach in both the Ross Sea MPA in Antarctica and the North Atlantic. I currently serve as Principal Investigator on an international collaboration between Earth Sciences NZ and India’s Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), advancing eDNA and acoustic methods and building long-term partnerships between India and New Zealand contributing to CCAMLR and the 2027 review of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area. I regularly prepare and present technical and scientific reports for ICES, Fisheries New Zealand and CCAMLR, including to stakeholder groups such as the Deepwater Working Group and the Antarctic Working Group. I serve on the editorial board of the ICES Journal of Marine Science, handling manuscript review, editorial decisions, and contributing to the journal’s strategic direction. Before joining Earth Sciences NZ in 2022, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. David Reid’s team at the Marine Institute in Galway, Ireland, as part of the EU Horizon 2020 MEESO project. My research there focused on the abundance and ecology of Mueller’s pearlside (Maurolicus muelleri) and deep scattering layer dynamics, using hull-mounted acoustics, trawling, and environmental DNA. I completed my PhD at the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 2019, supervised by Prof. Peter Croot and Dr. Tom Doyle, investigating microplastic pathways in marine pelagic systems.

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