THE second “Women in the Snowfields’ event was held on Mt Buller recently with a discussion panel lead by Glaciologist and Ice Core Technician, Chelsea Long.

For her main talk Chelsea spoke about Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and the role of women in what has been typically a ‘man’s world’.

She spoke of the discrimination she encountered during a research trip to a glacier and the difference it made as a woman when up against a male dominated profession.

During the evening, at which more than 100 attended, she spoke on her experiences during her studies.

She told the story how on a research trip with about 30 scientists she was treated much differently, was not allowed to use the core extraction equipment – because she would not be strong enough – and was basically told to just do the photography.

She has worked in Antarctica and has more than five years of technical experience processing and analysing ice cores.

During her tertiary studies, she was awarded the New Colombo Plan – Hokkaido University, AINSE Honours scholarship, and the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Regional Award for her studies of Solar Proxies in Ice Cores.

Chelsea is currently studying her PhD at the University of Tasmania, with her PhD aiming to reduce the Science-Policy Gap by using Ice Core research.

Organiser of the evening Tessa Flynn from Buller Hospitality said she received good feedback from the evening as a whole, the ladies attending loved the talk and were given inspiration to take up working in fields which were not necessarily entered by women.

A discussion panel followed Chelsea’s talk and included panellists Maria Baker (Founder of Nobody’s Princess), Linsey Caddy (Buller’s ski patrol instructor), Kelsey Williams, Brodie Wilson, Rhylla Morgan, Sue George and Jassie Salbesan.

Tessa said the evening was such a success plans were being made for another session next year.