Kim Bernard, PhD

What’s the work that you do?

I am a biological oceanographer, and central to my work is the question: How does natural and anthropogenic environmental change alter zooplankton ecology and thus the structure and function of pelagic ecosystems and services? For the last 10+ years, I have been studying Antarctic krill at the Western Antarctic Peninsula, though my research has extended to include other zooplankton and different parts of the world’s oceans. My research relies primarily on data collected during long field campaigns spent at sea or remote field stations. In total, I have spent 64 weeks at sea and 29 months at Palmer Station, Antarctica.

What keeps you going?

The awe-inspiring continent of Antarctica keeps me going. Knowing that my research will contribute to its conservation is a major driving force for me. I am also passionate about mentoring students, both undergraduates and graduates (post-graduates). I especially love the opportunity to take students into the field and share the wonder and excitement of research with them. In 2019, I led an all-women, all-student research team on a winter Antarctic campaign to investigate how Antarctic krill survive and thrive in the winter. This austral winter 2022, I will lead another all-women, all-student team to follow up on those experiments!

What’s your message to the world?

To young, aspiring scientists/explorers/world-changers, don’t listen to the doubters and haters around you. If you have a passion and are driven to do something, do it! To anyone reading this, I am writing this on Earth Day and my message to the humans of Earth (and to the few orbiting up above us – though I suspect they already know this) is that our blue planet is a precious, abundant, life-giving one. We have separated ourselves from Earth and in so doing have disrupted the delicate balance of our planet. It’s time for us to reconnect with each other and Earth and to shift towards peace.