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Women In Polar Science

Kayla Tinker, MSc

National Weather Service – Alaska Sea Ice Program (USA)

Kayla, in a tan wool jacket, stands in front of a partially frozen lake and snow capped mountain in Alaska.

Kayla, in a tan wool jacket, stands in front of a partially frozen lake and snow capped mountain in Alaska.

What’s the work that you do?

I work as a sea ice analyst for the national weather service in Anchorage, AK. Each day, I create an updated sea ice concentration and thickness map using satellite imagery, and three times a week (M/W/F), I create a five-day sea ice forecast using sea ice models and meteorological conditions. The Alaska Sea Ice team also supports the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) Program.

What keeps you going?

How surprising the ice can be and how quickly floes can move through the water. We look at real-time satellite imagery, and at the start of your day the ice is doing one thing, and by the end of the day it may have moved a lot quicker than you anticipated. I love learning about the local currents, winds, and other meteorological and oceanographic conditions that influence what the sea ice may do day to day.

What’s your message to the world?

Don’t be afraid of personal change and growth. My path, like many scientists, was not a straight line. Enjoy the ride, see the sights, and spend time with those who are important to you. Do work you are passionate about without sacrificing the time we need for creativity and joy.

Organisation: National Weather Service – Alaska Sea Ice Program (USA)

Nationality: United States United States

Disciplines:

Operational Sea Ice Analyst

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We are grateful to The Ocean Foundation for acting as our fiscal sponsor in the US, the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation for sponsoring this project, and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) for supporting us.