Homeward bound: reflections on a female quest for a more sustainable planet

Abstract

When I was a kid my parents bought me an inflatable globe that used to hang from the ceiling above my bed. Whenever I was laying there, I’d look up and see Antarctica, tucked away at the bottom of the planet. Little did I know I’d get the chance to go there one day on a mission to learn how I can make the world a better place. In this seminar I will talk about Homeward Bound, an inspiring leadership and strategic initiative teamed with a science education programme on climate, biological and earth system research, set against the back drop of Antarctica. The Homeward Bound vision over the next ten years is to equip a 1,000-strong global collaboration of women with a science background to lead, influence and contribute to policy and decision-making as it informs the future of our planet. Reflecting on my experience as part of the first Homeward Bound expedition– the world’s largest all-female multidisciplinary expedition to Antarctica, involving  76 women from all over the world- I provide insights into why women in science matter when it comes sustainability leadership and outline the next steps in the journey that lies ahead.

Professor Lindsay Stringer

Acknowledgements

This trip was funded from the following sources whose support is gratefully acknowledged: The School of Earth & Environment, Leverhulme, The Priestley International Centre for Climate, The ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP), University of Leeds which granted an award for International Research Collaboration’.

Biography

Lindsay C. Stringer is Professor in Environment and Development at the Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds. She was Director of the Sustainability Research Institute from 2011-2014. She was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize for her research on sustainable development in drylands in 2013 and is currently a coordinating lead author for the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Africa Regional Assessment and Lead Author for the IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment.

Directions to the venue

School of Earth and Environment Seminar Rooms (8.119). At Earth and Environment reception take the door on the right-hand side. The seminar rooms are immediately on the left. (See also campus map)