Please give Birgit Sattler a loud, welcoming "griassdi" ("hello" in the Austrian-German dialect), the international element of the DOM team. Birgit is very well versed in Polar Science as she studies frozen environments and high altitude regions in her native land of Austria, as well as in the Arctic and Antarctica. She is interested in understanding what occurs on a microbial scale in this areas and how it exemplifies or models life on a more global scale. Birgit is leaving Antarctica tomorrow and all of the DOM team will miss her terribly. Out at the Lake Fryxell camp she was not only fully involved in all the scientific sampling we did, but she also made delicious dinners and desserts. Her stories of expeditions around the world kept the camp ringing with laughter. I know I have made a good friend in Birgit and hope to one day make it to Austria to play a little Bocce Ball with her and hike the Alps, too.
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Birgit is keeping a blog of her own while down on the Ice. Check it out at Wings WorldQuest.
As Birgit was finishing up work in the lab and packing for her long journey home, she took a quick break to send Christine this message...
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