Poland in New Zealand

This year, Polish Embassy in Wellington took an opportunity to invite Polish polar scientist, prof. Monika A. Kusiak from the Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Science. It would be possible without a support from Trust “Between the Waters” represented by Dorota Szymańska-Prokop and Tomasz Prokop.

Prof. M.A. Kusiak, together with Prof. Marek Lewandowski (leader), Dr. Adam Nawrot and Prof. Wojciech Miloch took part in the 4th Polish Antarctic Research Expedition to the Dobrowolski’ Station. The station was not used for last 42 years. The main mission for the team of Polish scientists was to re-activate the base.

Members of local Polonia (Agnieszka Deneka and Anna Gruczyńska) organized in the City Public Library – Turanga also a lecture during which prof Kusiak gave an open talk entitled: “Bunger Oasis, Mission to reactivate Polish Antarctic Research Station”. Although the talk focused on the work which has been done at the Dobrowolski’ base, it also gave an excellent opportunity for international audience to learn about three Polish Polar Stations: Hornsund in Spitsbergen (Arctic), Arctowski in Western Antarctica and Dobrowolski in East Antarctica.

One of the main features of the “Days of Ice” was a day-event, called ‘Women in Polar Science’, where an artist Ira Mitchell presented her set of paintings of 12 international females: ‘Women of the Antarctic: Making the absence visible’. Among them, portrait of M.A. Kusiak was also featured. Special guests, Honorary Consul of RP Winsome Dormer and Mayor of Christchurch, Lianne Dalziel were present. 

During her short visit, Prof. Kusiak gave also interview during which she talked about her work in polar regions, cleaning Antarctica and being a female scientist as well as about plans regarding Dobrowolski’ station.