Can you imagine your research lab being on top of a glacier? This week’s Wednesday’s Women in STEM features Michele Koppes, a Glaciologist with the University of British Colombia.
Koppes graduated from the University of Washington in 2007 with her PhD in Geography. She is currently an Associate Professor who studies how landscapes respond to climate change, specifically glaciers. Some of her current research projects focus on quantifying glacier change in response to warming climate and warming oceans, the landscape response to changing glacier dynamics, and the effects of climate change on meltwater resources in BC, Patagonia, Antarctica, Greenland and the Himalayas.
She is also passionate about exciting other girls and women about glaciers and climate change. Part of her broader mission is to convince others that playing with and near glaciers is fun! To do so, she co-founded Girls on Ice, now called Inspiring Girls, an experiential field course in Alaska, Washington, Canada, and Switzerland for girls aged 14-18 that combines science, art and backcountry wilderness skills – and the trips are tuition free! This is definitely something to keep in mind as our STEM Like a Girl participants get older!