Here’s how you can join a research mission to Antarctica

• Airbnb, along with Ocean Conservancy wants five adventurous citizen scientists to travel the remote continent Antarctica for scientific research mission.
  
• The mission is being conducted to understand and spread awareness on the impact of humans on the environment and the climate of the ecosystem.
  
• The volunteers will collect snow samples to study the extent of micro plastics in the interior antarctic region.
  
• The expedition does not require any formal qualifications to apply.
  
• The 30-days long research mission is scheduled in November-December this year.

Online marketplace for homestays Airbnb, along with Ocean Conservancy is calling out travel and nature enthusiasts for a scientific research mission to Antarctica.

With this opportunity ‘Antarctic Sabbatical,’ the organisation plans to include five adventurous individuals to be in the blue-ice runway within the remote continent along with Antarctic Scientist Kirstie Jones-Williams. And, it does not require any formal qualifications to apply.

However, the applicants must be above 18 years of age with the ability to speak conversational English. The selected candidates will be announced on October 30.

The volunteers can visit Antarctic Sabbatical link to complete the application form.

“This expedition will be hard work, with scientific rigour required during unforgiving wintery conditions. We are looking for passionate individuals, with a sense of global citizenship, who are excited to be a part of the team and to return home and share our findings with the world,” Antarctic Scientist Kirstie Jones-Williams said.

The 30-days long research mission is scheduled in November-December this year.

What would the research mission entail

The scientific research mission is being conducted to understand and spread awareness on the impact of humans on the environment and the climate of the ecosystem.

At first, the expedition will train them on glaciology and field sampling in Punta Arenas in Chile.

In the Antarctic, the volunteers will collect snow samples to study the extent of micro plastics in the interior antarctic region. Given that the plastic pollution has posed a threat to climate change and species, the citizen scientists will understand how the continent and the planet can be protected.

“Most people think of Antarctica as a pristine and isolated continent, but recent evidence shows that even the most remote locations are affected by plastic pollution. This expedition will help us understand the pathways of micro plastics to remote regions such as Antarctica and comes at a critical time to highlight our responsibility to protect our natural world.” Williams added.

It will also include a visit to South Pole and other Antarctic sites like the Drake Icefall, Charles Peak Windscoop, and Elephant's Head.

“Together with Ocean Conservancy, we are highlighting the problem of micro plastics to encourage a global audience to give great thought to the consequences of how we live and take collective action,” said Chris Lehane, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Communications of Airbnb.

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