19 February 2011 Off to Alaska

I’m off – Off to Alaska.

It’s 6:15 a.m. and I’ve just boarded my first of four flights today which will take me to Fairbanks, Alaska. Why Fairbanks, you ask? In January 2011, I was selected as one of 12 teachers to take part in PolarTREC. PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is an organization which pairs teachers and researchers doing current work in either the Arctic or Antarctic regions.

I, along with eleven other educators from around the country will be going to Fairbanks, Alaska for orientation and training. Then, over the next year each teacher and research team will participate in their project – six will be going to the Arctic and six to the Antarctic. My project will eventually take me to McMurdo Station, Antarctica to study Weddell Seals.

So, what better way to train for a visit to the Antarctic than to go to Fairbanks, Alaska – one of the coldest places in the United States?

According to Austin Onek (News Channel 3 weatherman and Pink Palace Museum science instructor) the weekend weather in Memphis is going to be in the 70°’s – while Fairbanks is supposed to warm up to just above 0°. Brrr!