Emily Broadwell, MESci

What’s the work that you do?

I’m currently a PhD researcher part of the MicroLab@Bristol. My work focuses on global communities of snow and glacier algae. These microalgae are found in snowpacks and ice surfaces respectively across the cryosphere. I look at the photosynthesis of these species specifically to tell us about how they are adapted to these high light, low temperature environments. I also look at the cell health (carbon and nitrogen content) to see how these species are adapted to the low nutrient conditions found in these environments.

What keeps you going?

One of the best parts of my research is that it allows me to travel all over. We have been to the Alps several times and most recently spent a month up in Ny Ålesund in Svalbard. Seeing the different communities and getting to know so many amazing people is an amazing experience. I also teach as part of my PhD scholarship and get to work on field trips both in the UK and abroad. Getting students out into the field in the Alps every year is also a lot of fun.

What’s your message to the world?

The environments that we work on are rapidly changing, so it is important that we try and capture these communities as they are now before they are lost.