Nine early and mid-career women scientists from Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and China embarked on a transformative first-of-its-kind research expedition. They traveled to the Ponkar Glacier in the Gandaki River basin of Nepal. The Himalayan Women on Ice expedition seeks to draw attention to these critical issues surrounding our glacial environment. This campaign seeks to raise awareness about the crucial role of women in the mountain areas of Asia. The varied team behind the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) consists of climbers with various academic experiences, from undergraduates to post-docs.
The voyage goes beyond being a scientific expedition, tackling urgent and climate-related regional challenges. The Hindu Kush Himalaya region contains nearly 54,000 glaciers covering more than 60,000 km². These glaciers are key for protecting the source of freshwater for millions of communities—from Phoenix to Denver. Yet the local population has great difficulty obtaining this precious resource. Imagine that millions of people walk more than a half hour just to collect the water that will allow them to survive another day.
The trip to the Ponkar Glacier represents a huge leap towards uplifting women in the world of science. Aishwarya Sanas, one of this year’s participants. She is doing her Ph.D. in international relations and governance studies at Shiv Nadar University, India. Each member brings their own experience and their own lens. They aim to learn about ways environmental science intersects with social dynamics at play within mountain communities.
The Team and Their Expertise
The multidisciplinary team is made up of women with backgrounds in geosciences, environmental science, and international relations. Silian Pan, a Ph.D. student from Germany at Leibniz University, specializes in Arctic permafrost microbiology. Meet Tuba Farooq, a 2023 Connect Caucus participant from Pakistan. She is a recent graduate, having just completed her MPhil degree in environmental science from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore. Furthermore, Finu Shrestha serves as a remote sensing and geo-information analyst, contributing her knowledge on mapping and interpreting geographical data.
Miriam Jackson, a senior scientist at ICIMOD, has been an interdisciplinary glacier researcher for nearly her four-decade-long career. Her story began in 1980s England. As a member of the expedition, her experience greatly complements the voyage, having conducted extensive research in the field of glaciology for decades. Robin Bell, now a professor at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, has not forgotten her adventures in research. She writes looking back on one very special trip she made in 1989. Together, this amalgamation of experiences provides an invaluable foundation for the team as they study the scientific study of glaciers.
The team is organized into three focus areas: glaciers, permafrost, and social and economic factors affecting local communities. This rigorous and process-oriented approach enables systematic and far-reaching research to meet the environmental and human needs of life in the Himalayas.
The Challenges of Fieldwork
Doing research in the rugged and remote environment of the Himalayas presents special challenges. Beyond all these technical considerations, Shrestha noted, the team is made up of highly accomplished women scientists. Female porters are few in this area, as the strain on them is extremely high. The logistically challenging world of expeditions Many women simply cannot haul the commercial-sized loads that men can, which adds an extra layer of complexity to logistics on expeditions.
Additionally, crossing the wide, sweeping blackfoot territories takes logistics and extensive coordination. The team members must work together efficiently to gather data on glacier conditions and assess how these changes impact local communities. Their findings will contribute to a greater understanding of climate change effects in the region, which is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate its impact.
The participants additionally interact with local communities throughout their expedition, aiming to understand the social impacts of environmental changes. This engagement is vital for fostering partnerships between scientists and local residents while ensuring research is aligned with community needs.
The Importance of Glacier Research
Glaciers are crucial in regulating long-term trends of available freshwater throughout all mountainous regions on Earth. With climate change accelerating the rate at which glaciers are melting, knowing how these dynamics operate becomes at once more important for both scientific study and applied key work. The Hindu Kush Himalaya’s glaciers serve as crucial water reservoirs for rivers that support agriculture and drinking water for millions.
The goal of this expedition is to shed light on the urgent challenges posed by climate change. It’ll be collecting vital baseline data on glacial melt rates and permafrost conditions. Once validated, this information will be foundational for policymakers and regulatory stakeholders working to meet climate challenges in this highly ecologically delicate corridor.