Dr Bethan Davies from the Department of Geography at Royal Holloway has been awarded the prestigious Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) medal.

Dr Bethan Davies

The award is in recognition of her work in educating students and peers about Antarctica which includes teaching, supervising postgraduate students and giving public talks on the region, including at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference.

Dr Davies is passionate about the communication of the polar regions, more specifically Antarctica’s past, present and future and developed the Antarctic Glaciers website as part of her commitment to outreach, education, and communication.

The website has more than four million views, averaging around 80,000 per month, and is a substantial resource for teachers, recognised with a Certificate of Excellence in Geological Education by the Geologists’ Association.

She leads the website, employing early-career colleagues to produce additional content. The website is supported by scientific and charitable organisations, including SCAR, Quaternary Research Association, Antarctic Science Bursary and the Geologists’ Association.

Dr Davies and the website have been cited by global media, including The Guardian, New York Times, and Nature, as well as organisations such as NASA and the Royal Geographical Society.

The website is used as a teaching resource by more than 20 universities and numerous schools. She has also been instrumental in getting funding for and producing educational activities, including a Polar Environments Day for 150 school students from diverse or lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Dr Bethan Davies said of her medal: “I’m really delighted to have been awarded the medal.

“It’s wonderful to have my public engagement and outreach work recognised in this way by the prestigious SCAR community.”