2006 Archive

19 December 2006

ANDRILL PROJECT BREAKS ANTARCTIC DRILLING RECORD

ANDRILL, the ANtarctic Geological DRILLing Programme, has drilled to a record depth of 1000 metres below the seafloor from the site on the Ross Ice Shelf near Scott Base in Antarctica. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

1 December 2006

ICESHEET NOVEMBER 2006

The latest issue of Icesheet has now been published and can be downloaded here.

13 November 2006

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TAKE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO ANTARCTICA

Over the next two weeks, primary and secondary students from science classes around New Zealand will be travelling on virtual field trips to Antarctica with LEARNZ, a Christchurch-based online education programme. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

9 November 2006

ANTARCTIC SCIENTISTS ONE STEP CLOSER TO LAST ICE AGE

After four years of preparation, scientists from New Zealand, the US, Italy and Germany have recovered sediment core from the seabed nearly 1000m below the McMurdo Ice Shelf in Antarctica. As of 0800 today, the multi-national ANtarctic DRILLing (ANDRILL) project has successfully drilled 31 m of a planned 1200 m into the seabed and confirmed it is extracting good quality core. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

8 November 2006

2005/06 ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE

The annual report has now been released and can be downloaded from this website.

18 October 2006

ARTISTS' APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED

The closing date for applications for the Artists to Antarctica programme for the 2007/08 season has been extended to 15 November 2006. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

19 September 2006

CHRISTCHURCH ANTARCTIC FESTIVAL

The Christchurch Antarctic Festival will run from 29 September to 1 October. It coincides with the opening of the Antarctic summer season, and will comprise a number of events for adults and children. The full programme and other information can be viewed and downloaded at the festival website.

19 September 2006

THOUGHTS ON ICE: EXHIBITION BY NEIL DAWSON

Sculptor Neil Dawson is holding an exhibition at the Janne Land Gallery in Wellington until 30 September. Images from the exhibition, which explores his imagining of what the experience might be like, can be viewed at the gallery's website. Neil will visit Antarctica this season as an invitational artist.

18 September 2006

SCIENCE EDUCATORS CHOSEN

Six science educators have been chosen to participate in the ANDRILL Research Immersion for Science Educators (ARISE) programme. Including Julian Thomson from New Zealand, they will spend 2 months on the Ice from October. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

28 August 2006

WINTER FLY-IN MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Four flights south to Antarctica have been made over the past week completing the Winfly flights. For more information read the Press Release on this website.

18 August 2006

FIRST FLIGHT TO ANTARCTICA

The first flight to Antarctica is scheduled to depart from Christchurch at 7am Sunday 20th August, following four months of winter darkness down on the Ice.
For more information see the Press Release on this website.

24 July 2006

COLD SNAPS: PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

Download your entry form for the Cold Snaps competition here.  Entries close 8 September 2006.

12 July 2006

ICESHEET JUNE 2006

The latest issue of Icesheet has now been published and can be downloaded here.

7 July 2006

CRYOSPHERE BY ANTARCTIC ARTS FELLOW PATRICK SHEPHERD

Cryosphere - an atmospheric depiction of Antarctica - is a finalist in the Douglas Lilburn prize, a competition jointly run by Concert FM and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Listen to his composition (and those of the other 4 finalists) and an interview with Patrick on the Radio New Zealand website.

4 July 2006

ANTARCTIC SCIENCE SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED

Four of New Zealand's emerging science minds have been announced as the recipients of Antarctica New Zealand's 2006 Postgraduate Research Scholarship Programme. Read details here.

3 July 2006

STATEMENT OF INTENT 2006-2009

Antarctica New Zealand has published its Statement of Intent 2006-2009, which sets out its activities over the next 3 years. The document can be downloaded here.

29 June 2006

ON THIN ICE: DAVID TRUBRIDGE EXHIBITION

David Trubridge, who travelled to Antarctica in 2004 through the Artists to Antarctica programme is holding an exhibition of new work until 23 July at the Hawke’s Bay Museum.

29 June 2006

NEWS FROM THE ANTARCTIC TREATY CONSULTATIVE MEETING IN EDINBURGH

A paper presented by Dr Neil Gilbert, Antarctica New Zealand's environmental manager, on non-native species in Antarctica was well received and emphasised the need for more research in this area. For more information read the BBC news report, and a Press release, by the British Antarctic Survey. Neil was also interviewed by Kathryn Ryan for the Nine to Noon programme on 29 June 2006.

27 June 2006

ANTARCTICA - THE GREAT INTEGRATOR

Antarctica New Zealand's annual conference will be held at Victoria University in Wellington, 4-6 July 2006. As well as celebrating wider collaborative links within the scientific community, the event will also showcase the newly-formed Joint Antarctic Research Institute, a formal alliance between Victoria University of Wellington and GNS Science. Read more here.

26 May 2006

INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR PLANNING

The Royal Society Committee on Antarctic Science (RSCAS) held a meeting on 19th May to discuss the projects that New Zealand plans to contribute to as part of the International Polar Year (IPY).  IPY officially begins in April 2007 and ends in March 2009.  There are currently 72 projects that New Zealand is associated with, 27 of which have strong NZ connections. 

17 May 2006

WHO WILL WIN THE ULTIMATE BIG ADVENTURE?

All six winning teams now know of their success in the Big Science Adventures video competition for Year 11-13 students.  The challenge now before them is to make a 10-minute documentary of their host scientist's work in those locations. The best video will win the team a place on the ultimate science adventure, a trip to the Antarctic in January 2007, organised through Antarctica New Zealand's Youth on Ice programme. The winner will be announced by Sir Edmund Hillary at a special event in Wellington on 4 August, for which all the teams will come together to present their documentaries and share their experiences.  More details can be found on the Royal Society's website.

15 May 2006

ANTARCTICA NZ ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Registrations are now open for the Annual Conference to be held at Victoria University of Wellington, 4-6 July 2006. Click here for more information.

1 May 2006

2006/07 ANTARCTIC ARTS FELLOWS ANNOUNCED

A leading New Zealand installation artist and a prominent Hawkes Bay textile artist have just been announced as the successful recipients of the 2006/07 Artists to Antarctica programme. Click here for more information.

21 April 2006

CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTT BASE

Antarctica New Zealand has launched a new website as part of the celebrations to mark 50 years since the building of Scott Base (officially opened on 20 January 1957), the Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and New Zealand's scientific programme in Antarctica.  The website includes image galleries for each of the various buildings along with a brief written history.  There's also a list of key dates in its history and answers to frequently asked questions.  We hope you enjoy exploring the site.

7 April 2006

WORKSHOP ON NON-NATIVE SPECIES IN ANTARCTICA

Antarctica New Zealand is co-hosting an International Workshop focussing on Non-native species in Antarctica. It's being held in Christchurch from 10-12 April 2006.
Click here for more information and the Workshop Agenda.

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