Dispatches from Thwaites Glacier

Mueller Elizabeth R, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

Elizabeth Rush Mueller plans to produce a creative nonfiction book that explores ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on those who devote their lives to better understanding this phenomenon. She will immerse herself in the Thwaites Glacier fieldwork in early 2019. She will produce a collection of essays that bear witness to the changes physically transforming Antarctica and relay how those changes impact the polar scientists at the forefront of this research. Additionally, upon returning from Antarctica, she will design and teach a new Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop based on her Antarctic experience to help students develop the skills necessary to communicate science to a broader public. The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) is the largest joint US-UK project undertaken on the southern continent in 70 years. Mueller will deploy on the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer Thwaites cruise, January-March 2019, which will afford her the opportunity to observe and interview scientists and better understand the field work of this major research effort and communicate its story to the public. Mueller's goal is to document not just the physical transformations reshaping the Thwaites Glacier, but also the emotional, physical, spiritual and personal impact on those who are endeavoring to better understand these changes. Her unique perspective, focus and style will provide a distinctive addition to the Antarctic Artists and Writers portfolio. It is anticipated that her dispatches, essays, and articles from her Antarctic experience will receive significant attention. Her book will be published by Milkweed Editions and her articles, by magazines such as Orion. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.