Katy Damacia Medina Marcos, MSc

What’s the work that you do?

I am a Peruvian cryosphere researcher and PhD candidate working on glaciers, permafrost, and mountain hazards in the tropical Andes and Antarctica. My work focuses on field monitoring, remote sensing, and environmental analysis to better understand glacier and permafrost changes, their hydrological role, and emerging risks under climate change. I also contribute to interdisciplinary research, student mentoring, and international scientific collaboration, helping connect Andean and polar perspectives in cryosphere science.

What keeps you going?

What keeps me going is the conviction that cryosphere science can directly support people, ecosystems, and future generations. I am motivated by the opportunity to produce knowledge that improves understanding of environmental change and risk in vulnerable mountain and polar regions. Fieldwork, collaboration, mentoring young researchers, and contributing from Peru to global science give deep meaning to my work.

What’s your message to the world?

The cryosphere is changing, and its future matters to all of us. Protecting glaciers, permafrost, and polar environments is not only a scientific challenge but also a human responsibility. We need more inclusive science, more international collaboration, and more women leading research in the places where climate change is most visible. Knowledge must serve both people and planet.