Leading from the front: women shaping Antarctic science on the COOKIES voyage
By Joline Lalime, Sea2SchoolAU and Dr Linda Armbrecht, ACEAS/IMAS (University of Tasmania)
Antarctica, the Southern Ocean and marine expeditions were once territories where women were excluded by tradition, superstition (bad luck), and systemic barriers. Today, that history is being actively rewritten through leadership, mentorship, and scientific excellence.
The Cook Ice Ecosystems and Sediments (COOKIES) Voyage aboard the CSIRO research vessel RV Investigator is a powerful example of this change in action.
The voyage’s Chief Scientist is Dr Linda Armbrecht. Dr Armbrecht was mentored by the late Professor Leanne Armand, a trailblazing Antarctic scientist and fierce advocate for women in ocean science. Professor Armand led multiple Southern Ocean and Antarctic voyages, including the first RV Investigator expedition to Antarctica in 2017, and mentored many of the scientists now shaping Australia’s Antarctic research community.
Although Professor Armand is no longer with us, her presence remains tangible. Her eclectic postcard collection – once a familiar sight on her own voyages – has been brought aboard COOKIES in her memory and is decorating the corridors of the main deck and micropaleontology lab. It is a quiet but powerful reminder that today’s leaders in marine science and oceanography build their work and leadership on the efforts of those who earlier challenged entrenched norms in seagoing research and ocean exploration.
The voyage reflects strong women’s participation across leadership, research, and technical roles in Antarctic marine science. Including Dr Armbrecht, 11 of the 13 Primary Investigators, and 17 of the 23 on-board science participants, are women. Of the broader science, outreach, and Marine National Facility (4:12) teams, women make up 60% of those on board. This is the outcome of decades of hard-won expertise, mentorship, and leadership earned at sea and in the lab.
The voyage also spans generations and nations. Dr Amy Leventer is sailing on her 30th Antarctic voyage, serving as a mentor to early-career scientists. Dr Laura De Santis brings international leadership as Italy’s chief representative to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Geoscience Scientific Group. Professor Jan Strugnell, from James Cook University and Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, is investigating the evolution and function of Antarctic marine organisms.
Importantly, this leadership extends beyond the ship. Through the Sea2SchoolAU outreach program, COOKIES is engaging with primary and secondary students across Australia and internationally, connecting classrooms directly with Antarctic science. Led by marine educational specialist Joline Lalime, these interactions aim not just to explain the science, but to showcase the researchers.
Research on board RV Investigator is supported by women working in voyage management, science and data-processing roles within the CSIRO/MNF technical team, alongside women in the Cyan Vessel Operations crew.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026
On International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026, the COOKIES voyage demonstrates what progress looks like: women leading complex, multidisciplinary Antarctic research; early-career scientists supported by experienced mentors; international collaboration; and visible pathways for the next generation.
As we celebrate the achievements of women in Antarctic science, we also recognise the value of continued efforts toward broader inclusion. A more diverse scientific community strengthens innovation, resilience, and our collective ability to understand and protect the Southern Ocean.
The future of Antarctic science is already on board. And it is being led, confidently and collaboratively by women.
Join us on the expedition
The IMAS-led research on the expedition will be showcased through blogs released through the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science and can be followed on social media at Sea2SchoolAu Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the CSIRO Voyage (IN2026_V01) Page
This voyage is supported by the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiatives Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (Project Number SR200100008), the Australian Research Council's Discovery Projects funding scheme (DP250100886), the COOKIES GEOTRACES process study GIpr13, Horizon Europe European Research Council (ERC) Frontier Research Synergy Grants; the Italian National Antarctic Program (CNR:DSSTTA) and Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF) (Project Number SR200100005) and by a grant of sea time on RV Investigator from the CSIRO Marine National Facility (MNF).
Top header image: ACEAS/IMAS scientists and CSIRO staff during COOKIES voyage preparations in Hobart (Image Credit: CSIRO/Fraser Johnston)
