Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
This campaign is closed
Women Leadership Program & Antarctica Expedition
Do you want to support initiatives to mitigate climate change? Do you want to support women's roles in society and in policy decisions? Do you want to support science? Homeward Bound aims at equipping a strong global collaboration of 1,000 women with a science background to influence and lead policy and decision making as it informs the future of our planet within 10 years.
I have been selected to be one of the 70 women that will have the honor to form Homeward Bound's second edition. We are women from around the world with scientific backgrounds that want to take action and have an impact towards a more sustainable world. We are undertaking a year-long state-of-the-art virtual program to develop our leadership and strategic capabilities, using science to contribute to and elevate the broader societal conversation about the role of women in leading the world to a more sustainable future.
The program will culminate with a three-week expedition to Antarctica, in February 2018. During the trip we will receive a 12-day state-of-the-art leadership and strategic planning training delivered by Kit Jackson, Fabian Dattner, and other experts in their fields. We will also be part of a 6-day cutting edge science education program incorporating the most up-to-date and relevant research about the state of our planet delivered by leading Australian academics.
During this spectacular experience we will have the privilege to be educated on the science of what is happening to our planet, to refine our skills to design and execute strategy, to create active non-hierarchical collaborations among women both in small groups and as a collective, and to have a global focus.
Globally, women are underrepresented in leadership positions and change has been incredibly slow, despite increasing dialogue and process/systems changes. The goal of this program is to give a group of women from around the world the leadership and strategic skills, a sound understanding of the science, and a strong purposefully developed network so they may impact policy and decisions towards a more sustainable future.
Regions of Antarctica are currently showing the fastest responses to climate change seen anywhere on the planet. The study of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and their roles in the climate system, provide critical insights into global-scale change, and the influence of human activities on the environment. The program organizers envision the expedition will create strong bonds, inspire action, and lead to extraordinary collaborations.
To be selected as one of the lucky women to participate in the second edition I had put together a video as part of the application process. In this video I explained what I believe are the major challenges we are facing as human society and why I hoped to be part of this initiative: https://youtu.be/zCO4tJ9XpJE
Now that I have been selected, in order to be part of the program and take part in the expedition, I must raise US$18,500 to cover travel, expedition and training expenses. The expedition and training expenses amount $26,000 per woman. Homeward bound is sponsoring $10,000, and I now must fundraise the remaining $16,000 plus $3,000 to cover travel expenses to/from Ushuaia, Argentina.
If you can and want to support this cause and my participation in this enriching and inspirational collaborative project I would truly appreciate it. If you can't support me with funds but you believe in this initiative, please contact me to learn more about it.
Since I believe education, communication, and scientific outreach are necessary elements towards a more sustainable future, starting now until the expedition in February 2018 and after the expedition I would like to give presentations and talks at elementary, middle and high schools, as well as at community gatherings, about energy, climate change, and the sustainable future of our planet. After the expedition I also hope to present the experience and the lessons learnt.
Regardless of your contribution, if you would like me to present on any of the topics mentioned in this page, or to present my experience after my return from the expedition in Antarctica, to the school you went to, to your children's school, to the school of your neighborhood, to your church, or to any community gathering, please contact me. I could present in English, French, or Spanish. It would mean a lot to me and I believe it would really enhance my experience and the relevance of my participation in this project.
Also, regardless of your contribution, if you would like a picture of Antarctica or to hear more about this program and the expedition, please do not hesitate to contact me.
My name is Melissa Cano, I am a researcher in microbiology with a passion for sustainability and education. My research focuses on developing the future biofuels and biotechnologies using cyanobacteria, fascinating bacteria that can do photosynthesis (and allow you to breathe your dioxygen right now!). Previously I worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, Colorado) and at the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (Cadarache, France), where I researched the bioproduction of hydrogen by cyanobacteria. I defended my PhD thesis in 2013 at Aix-Marseille II University.
Thank you very much for reading this page. I really appreciate your time and interest.
If you want to know more about Homeward Bound, please find below the links to the website and to different media coverage:
Homeward Bound:
https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/
Article from Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hilarybrueck/2016/02/13/antarctica-homeward-bound/#3fbea6a523d5
Article from the New York Times:
Article from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/05/world/gallery/homeward-bound-antarctica/index.html
Article from El País:
https://www.google.com/amp/elpais.com/elpais/2016/12/15/ciencia/1481825367_887557.amp.html
A beautiful video to watch about the project from a participant from last year (spanish):
https://www.facebook.com/PlayGroundMag/videos/1468338539872684/