Geographical Thinking: Season 4 Episode 12 – From Expedition to Inspiration

Grab your toque and prepare for an icy voyage to the ends of the Earth! In this episode of Geographical Thinking, host Michelle Brake speaks to Anais Schaenzel, who recently embarked on a thrilling expedition to Antarctica and documented it all with GIS. Armed with her passion for exploration and GIS expertise, Anais provided near real-time updates about her voyage, offering readers a rare glimpse into Antarctica's icy landscapes and breathtaking wildlife. Now that she’s back on solid ground, Anais continues her mission to educate and advocate for the protection of these ecologically significant environments. 0:00 – Episode Summary 0:43 – Intro 2:35 – How did the expedition come about? 5:32 – Live blogging the trip 7:54 – Technology and Challenges 10:35 – Trip Highlights 15:57 – Reflections on Conservation 22:03 – Balancing Conservation and Tourism 29:03 – Outro Looking for resources on what we discussed in today’s podcast? Check them out below! Voyage to Antarctica: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c32dec7911d449aeafb566532b3e7f17/ The ArcGIS Experience Builder application developed by Anais to share trip progress, including a GPS tracking map, daily blog posts and a photo gallery. Eagle Technology: https://www.eagle.co.nz/ The distributor of Esri’s ArcGIS platform in New Zealand and the South Pacific, offering IT services and support like the Eagle Mobile Comms box used by Anais. Heritage Expeditions: https://www.heritage-expeditions.com/ A tourism company offering expeditions throughout the South Pacific; also runs the True Young Explorer Scholarship program: https://www.heritage-expeditions.com/blog/young-explorer-scholarships-are-open/ IAATO Data & Statistics: https://iaato.org/information-resources/data-statistics/ The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) monitors and reports on tourism to Antarctica to self-manage guest activities on the continent.