Keeping People Safe in Antarctic Fieldwork: Advancing Training, Team Safety, and Shared Best Practices - A Workshop
-
(3 - 7:30am)
-
(3 - 7:30am)
Join PSECCO at the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) 2026 Open Science Conference and Meetings in Oslo, Norway on August 14, 2026 at 11.00am to 3.30 pm CEST.
Session Description
Safe working environments are essential for conducting excellent science. In Antarctica, ensuring safety is particularly critical because fieldwork takes place far from home and support networks. When something goes wrong, be it physical or interpersonal, there are few immediate outside resources easily accessible. Without intentional attention to safety, both people’s well-being and scientific productivity are at risk.
Yet, significant challenges remain. Fieldwork in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean involves harsh conditions, unfamiliar hazards, and often strenuous work. Teams bring together individuals with different authority levels and diverse backgrounds, which can create complex power dynamics. These conditions heighten vulnerability to hostile behaviors such as bullying, harassment, and identity-based exclusion. Recent reports from the United States and Australian Antarctic Programs highlight a troubling history of harassment and assault that underscores the urgency of action. Currently, few examples exist of trainings mandated by national programs that sufficiently equip people going to Antarctica with the tools or knowledge needed to address these issues.
This will be a three-hour workshop, with part 1 (W19 – 11:30 – 13:00 on Friday, August 14, 2026) to be grounded in the ADVANCEing FieldSafety training framework and part 2 (W19 – 14:00 – 15:30 on Friday, August 14, 2026) focused on discussions regarding necessary planning and actions to build safer field environments. Part 1 of this interactive workshop will engage participants in practicing bystander intervention, and Part 2 will explore necessary improvements to field safety training design and implementation for Antarctic fieldwork. Please note, if you would like to attend part 1 of this workshop, registration is required ahead of time here by no later than July 31, 2026; attendance for part 1 will be capped at 25 attendees offered on a first come, first served basis. Attendees will be invited to share proven approaches to fieldwork training that have resulted in building respectful and supportive team environments, and will co-develop recommendations to inform training initiatives and guide the development of new field safety resources. Through interactive exercises and discussion, participants will gain tools to recognize, communicate about, and respond to situations that jeopardize safety, especially those involving interpersonal harm.
By the end of the workshop, participants will understand why the human aspects of field safety matter alongside the physical aspects, and should feel more confident using communication and intervention tools to interrupt inappropriate behavior. Our goal is to build capacity across international boundaries, help normalize these practices, and foster Antarctic field environments where everyone can work safely, equitably, and productively. Outcomes from the session will feed into broader discussions on training material development and community guidelines.