The Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Energy has assigned three new station leaders to go to the icy continent for the first time.
One of the three, Kyle Williams is to lead a team of up to 100 expeditioners over the next 12 months.
It will be the former police officer’s second stint as an Australian Antarctic Division Station Leader, after spending a year on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island in 2017.
The second new leader will be operations specialist, Chris MacMillian who will head up Casey Research Station over the next 12 months.
Ms MacMillian (pictured) has a background in search and rescue with the United States Coast Guard and the Australian Maritime Search and Rescue Authority.
She is looking forward to seeing the colourful atmospheric lights of the aurora australis for the first time.
Her team will support scientists drilling ice cores at Law Dome over summer and retrieving equipment from the Totten Glacier which has been measuring ice speed and flow.
Thirdly, early 2019 will see Simon Goninon leave for Mawson, Australia’s oldest research station.
With a background in policing and operations in the hospitality and tourism sector, Mr Goninon has wanted to work in Antarctica for most of his adult life, watching Australia’s icebreaker, Aurora Australis, sail up and down the River Derwent in his home State of Tasmania.
Mawson Station will host the Antarctic Arts Fellows and seabird scientists based at Béchervaise Island, tagging Adèlie penguins for the summer.
