Antje Boetius is one of the most renowned marine and polar researchers in Germany. For many years she has been passionate about exploring the deep sea and the polar regions. As director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, she has managed numerous scientific projects and is an important voice in environmental and climate research.
Boetius is particularly well known for her research on deep-sea ecosystems, methane hydrates and the impact of climate change on the polar regions. Her work has been instrumental in deepening our understanding of the complex relationships between oceans, climate and life on Earth.
Boetius as ambassador for the protection of the seas and the polar regions
In addition to her scientific work, Boetius is also very involved in public and acts as an ambassador for the protection of the oceans and polar regions. She is a frequent guest on radio and television and was most recently a scientific advisor on the filming of Frank Schätzing’s “Der Schwarm” for ZDF. It has already received numerous awards, including the German Environmental Award and the Federal Cross of Merit.
Prof. Dr. Antje Boetius
(Image: Alfred Wegener Institute)
I visited Antje Boetius in Bremerhaven and met a person who is very engrossed in his work – and then at the beginning of the podcast recording suddenly seems and is wide awake. Boetius spoke about her career, what drove her to sea and which experiences were important and formative on her way. In addition, she tells how strongly the women in her family have influenced her, although the male part of her family is much more prominent – for example her father, the writer Henning Boetius.
Here you will find an overview of our three podcast formats: the weekly news podcast “Weekly” and the monthly podcasts “Unscripted” and “Deep Dive”.
We are, of course, talking about the most urgent things that need to be done to protect the oceans better. And Boetius explains how badly the polar regions have already been affected by climate change.
Despite everything: when Antje Boetius talks about the oceans, her eyes light up. But how does she manage to remain optimistic despite the threatening scenarios in the marine, polar and climate areas? And how does it protect itself when certain developments paint a rather bleak picture of the future?
More on this in the whole episode – as an audio stream (RSS feed):
Unscripted appears on the MIT Technology Review podcast feed and is one of the three podcast formats of the science and technology magazine. In “Deep Dive” the editors deepen a topic from the magazine once a month. The monthly interview format “Unscripted” focuses on exciting personalities from science, technology and society. The “Weekly” format completes the offer. You can find an overview of the podcasts here.
(jl)
