Janet Thomson

Last updated

Janet Thomson
Born1942 (age 8081)
Nationality UK
Alma mater University of London
Awards Fuchs Medal (2001)
Polar Medal (2003)
Scientific career
Fields Geology
Institutions British Antarctic Survey

Janet Thomson also known as Janet Wendy Thomson (born 1942) is a British geologist and the first British woman scientist to complete field research in Antarctica. Thomson Summit and Thomson Glacier are named in her honor. She was a 2001 recipient of the British Antarctic Survey's Fuchs Medal, and in 2003, she was the recipient of the Polar Medal.

Contents

Biography

Janet Wendy Thomson was born in 1942 in Staffordshire, England. She attended Bedford College and later the University of London. [1]

Thomson began working for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in 1964, [2] but was barred from participating in actual trips to Antarctica because policy forbade women, because of the hardship it would impose. For eighteen years, Thomson pressed to have the restriction lifted. [3] Not making headway with the British team, Thomson joined an American expedition in 1976, becoming the first British woman to conduct fieldwork in the Antarctic. [4]

In 1983, Thomson became the first British woman scientist working inside the Antarctic Circle on a British team, when the BAS finally lifted their gender barrier. [1] Peter D. Rowley who led the United States Antarctic Research Program geological survey during the 1984 to 1985 season, suggested that Thomson Summit, a peak in the Behrendt Mountains of Palmer Land, be named in Thomson's honor in 1986. [5] Thomson Glacier, is also named for her. [6] Thomson served as head of the Mapping and Geographical Information Center (MAGIC) [7] prior to her 2003 retirement. She then worked on a topographic map of Antarctica with the Committee on Antarctic Research Digital Topographic Database. [1] In 2003, she was awarded the Polar Medal for her outstanding service to polar research. [2] Thomson and other noted British scientists were interviewed in an oral history project for the British Library in 2013. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Nimrod</i> Expedition First of three Antarctic expeditions led by Ernest Shackleton, 1907–09

The NimrodExpedition of 1907–1909, otherwise known as the British Antarctic Expedition, was the first of three successful expeditions to the Antarctic led by Ernest Shackleton and his second expedition to the Antarctic. Its main target, among a range of geographical and scientific objectives, was to be first to the South Pole. This was not attained, but the expedition's southern march reached a Farthest South latitude of 88° 23' S, just 97.5 nautical miles from the pole. This was by far the longest southern polar journey to that date and a record convergence on either Pole. A separate group led by Welsh Australian geology professor Edgeworth David reached the estimated location of the South Magnetic Pole, and the expedition also achieved the first ascent of Mount Erebus, Antarctica's second highest volcano.

<i>Laura Bassi</i> (icebreaker)

Laura Bassi is an icebreaking research vessel operated by the Italian National Institute for Oceanography and Applied Geophysics,. Between 1999 and 2019, she was the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) logistics ship, primarily used for the resupply of scientific stations in the Antarctic.

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the United Kingdom's national polar research institute. It has a dual purpose, to conduct polar science, enabling better understanding of global issues, and to provide an active presence in the Antarctic on behalf of the UK. It is part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). With over 400 staff, BAS takes an active role in Antarctic affairs, operating five research stations, one ship and five aircraft in both polar regions, as well as addressing key global and regional issues. This involves joint research projects with over 40 UK universities and more than 120 national and international collaborations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginny Fiennes</span> British explorer

Virginia Frances, Lady Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, known as Ginny Fiennes, was an English explorer. She was the first woman to be awarded the Polar Medal, and the first woman to be voted in to join the Antarctic Club in recognition of her research work for the British Antarctic Survey and University of Sheffield into very low frequency radio propagation. Her husband was adventurer Ranulph Fiennes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Francis</span> British paleoclimatologist

Dame Jane Elizabeth Francis, is the Director of the British Antarctic Survey. She previously worked as Professor of Palaeoclimatology at the University of Leeds where she also was Dean of the Faculty of Environment. In 2002 she was the fourth woman to receive the Polar Medal for outstanding contribution to British polar research. She is currently the Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

The Fuchs Medal is a medal awarded by The British Antarctic Survey for "Outstanding devotion to the British Antarctic Survey's interests, beyond the call of normal duty, by men or women who are or were members of the Survey, or closely connected with its work."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churchill Peninsula</span> Ice-covered peninsula in Actarctica

Churchill Peninsula is an ice-covered peninsula between Cabinet Inlet and Adie Inlet, extending some 30 miles (50 km) in a southeasterly direction from the east coast of Graham Land. The peninsula ends in Cape Alexander separating Oscar II Coast to the northeast from Foyn Coast to the southwest, and has its east coast indented by Zimen Inlet and Brentopara Inlet.

Elizabeth Mary Morris,, also known as Liz Morris, is a glaciologist and Senior Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge. She has been a visiting professor at the University of Reading since 1995. She was head of the ice and climate division at the British Antarctic Survey, from 1986 to 1999, and president of the International Glaciological Society, from 2002 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Djerassi Glacier</span> Glacier in Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica

Djerassi Glacier is a 2.8 km long and 1 km wide steep valley glacier situated south of Gorichane Glacier, west of the head of Malpighi Glacier, northwest of the head of Mackenzie Glacier, and north-northeast of Pirogov Glacier on Brabant Island in the Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica. It drains the west slopes of Harvey Heights and the north slopes of Mount Parry, and flows northwestwards into Lanusse Bay north of Venchan Bluff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleipnir Glacier</span> Glacier in Graham Land, Antarctica

Sleipnir Glacier is a glacier 10 nautical miles (18 km) long, flowing into the west side of Cabinet Inlet between Balder and Spur Points, on the east coast of Graham Land, Antarctica. The Vologes Ridge is in the central portion of the glacier.

Thomson Summit is a mostly snow-covered mountain rising to 1,515 m between Mount Goodman and Mount Chandler in the Behrendt Mountains, Palmer Land. These mountains were visited during the 1984–85 season by a United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP) geological party led by Peter D. Rowley of the U.S. Geological Survey. On his suggestion, named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN), 1986, after Janet Wendy Thomson, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) geologist; British exchange scientist with the Rowley party who climbed to the summit of this mountain; and who was from 1992, Head of Mapping and Geographic Information Centre, BAS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felicity Aston</span> British adventurer/climate scientist

Felicity Ann Dawn Aston is a British explorer, author and climate scientist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In-Young Ahn</span> South Korean scientist

In-Young Ahn is a South Korean scientist. She is known for being the first South Korean woman to visit Antarctica and the first Asian woman to become an Antarctic station leader. She is a benthic ecologist and is currently working as a principal research scientist for Korea Polar Research Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Bradshaw</span> British-born New Zealand geologist

Margaret Ann Bradshaw is a New Zealand geologist and a retired staff member at the University of Canterbury. She is considered a trailblazer and influential female role model in Antarctic research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward W. Bingham</span>

Surgeon Captain Edward W. Bingham, was a British Royal Navy officer and polar explorer who had the rare third clasp added to his Polar Medal.

Eleanor Honnywill was instrumental in supporting the work of British Antarctic Survey (BAS).

Sally Poncet is an Australian-born scientist and adventurer who has explored and studied the Antarctic region since 1977. Her specialty is birds and she made extensive studies of albatross and their habitats for the British Antarctic Survey. She has written guidebooks on preservation of the flora and fauna of South Georgia and received numerous awards and honors, including the Blue Water Medal, the Fuchs Medal and the Polar Medal for her contributions to understanding the southern polar region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in Antarctica</span> Women in Antarctica

There may have been women in Antarctica and exploring the regions around Antarctica for many centuries. The most celebrated "first" for women was in 1935 when Caroline Mikkelsen became the first woman to set foot on one of Antarctica's islands. Early male explorers, such as Richard Byrd, named areas of Antarctica after wives and female heads of state. As Antarctica moved from a place of exploration and conquest to a scientific frontier, women worked to be included in the sciences. The first countries to have female scientists working in Antarctica were the Soviet Union, South Africa and Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of women in Antarctica</span>

This is a Timeline ofwomen in Antarctica. This article describes many of the firsts and accomplishments that women from various countries have accomplished in different fields of endeavor on the continent of Antarctica.

Agnieszka Fryckowska is a New Zealand meteorologist and Antarctic base manager who has worked with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Fryckowska has spent five winters in Antarctica. She is a recipient of the Polar Medal.

References

Citations

Bibliography