Homeward Bound: Reflections on a female quest for a more sustainable planet

In December 2016, Lindsay Stringer, Professor of Environment and Development at the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, took part in Homeward Bound, an all-female expedition to Antarctica. This film, made by Nick Roxburgh, is of a public seminar given by Professor Stringer at the University of Leeds on 25 January 2017. Watch the film

 “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” – Prof Lindsay Stringer

The trip was funded from the following sources whose support is gratefully acknowledged: School of Earth & Environment, Leverhulme,  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.