Biography

My interest in Antarctica was first triggered when, growing up in the Netherlands, I noticed its absence from the world maps we used in school. I became intrigued by this mysterious blind spot; this blank and ‘silent’ space. At age 18, I made a life-changing trip to Antarctica. Ever since, I’ve been committed to expanding public knowledge about Antarctica. For my undergraduate studies, I completed 3 BA degrees at once, in Philosophy, Literary Studies, and International Relations. This multidisciplinary background helped me understand the extent to which storytelling shapes our worldview. And the stories we tell about Antarctica tend to be dominated by the archetype of the heroic white male explorer. My PhD will investigate how we can shift public perception of Antarctica, by amplifying the underrepresented narratives and muted voices that also form part of Antarctica’s diverse (hi)story. During my MPhil in Education at the University of Cambridge, I began to use podcasting to create participatory platforms for public reflection about future-making. For my PhD, I will use podcasting and soundscaping as sonic methods to capture Antarctica’s polyvocality, in order to start foretelling more inclusive and sustainable Antarctic futures.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Education 2021
University of Amsterdam Literary and Cultural Studies & Philosophy 2019
University of London International Relations 2019