Picture: Satellite-based image of Pine Island Glacier, which is responsible for one quarter of the ice loss from Antarctica. Where it meets the ocean, the ice tongue is 30km wide and flowing at over 15 metres per day (pink to white colours).
A film for school pupils about ice melt in Antarctica and sea level rise, made by a team involving a Swansea University polar expert, has been awarded the prestigious Silver Publishers Award from the Geographical Association.
The film - Antarctica, ice melt and global sea level rise – was developed by Time for Geography and includes time lapse clips of ice flow gathered by Professor Adrian Luckman of Swansea University’s department of geography.
Professor Luckman is a glaciologist with expertise in satellite imaging. Drawing on data from NASA and the European Space Agency, his research sheds light on what is happening in the polar regions. In 2017 he monitored the calving of the giant 1 trillion tonne iceberg from the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica.
The film includes satellite image sequences of the Thwaites Glacier and Pine Island Glacier, provided by Professor Luckman, based on data from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite.
The film was produced by Time for Geography, an open-access dedicated video platform for geography and geoscience education. It was a collaboration that also involved experts from Durham, Newcastle and Royal Holloway universities.
The Geographical Association (GA) is the leading subject association for teachers of geography. The award recognises the video’s significant contribution to secondary school geographical education and teacher professional development, achieved by bringing the work of leading Antarctica researchers into school classrooms.
The feedback from the award panel was:
“This Antarctica video is interesting; the presentation is exceptionally clear, and the modelling is engaging. It is pitched at a good level for GCSE and A level students. The story maps are a useful addition. This is what we have come to expect from Time for Geography.”
Dr Rob Parker from Time for Geography said:
“The Silver is GA’s highest-level award and is a wonderful testament to the success of our long-term partnership in supporting secondary education, and to the fantastic collaborative work of everyone involved in helping make these videos possible.”
Professor Adrian Luckman of Swansea University said:
"It is wonderful to be involved in such a great enterprise which combines glaciological research and outreach to schools. Congratulations to the whole team."
The video was supported with funding from the Natural Environment Research Council.
The Geographical Association (GA) supports high-quality geography education by enabling teachers of geography to share ideas and learn from one another. They support teachers’ professional needs by:
- publishing geography education titles, professional journals, online teaching resources, authoritative guidance and a website for young geographers
- running professional development conferences and events, local networks, curriculum projects and accreditation for schools and teachers
- advocating for geography and leading public debate around geography education.