Two Grand Valley State University students are among the eight students nationwide accepted for an internship program in Antarctica with Raytheon Polar Services Company. Tim Major, a third-year physics major, and Dan Brown, a biology major and recent graduate, will spend the next four to five months, from October to February, at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
Both students attended a ceremony Sept. 12, at Grand Valley's DeVos Center, with U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids. Ehlers was presented with a flag that was flown in his honor at the Geographic South Pole to recognize his strong commitment to education, science, and the environment.
The flag was presented by P. Douglas Kindschi, chair of the Science Support Advisory Board of Raytheon, which provides all support services at the U.S. research stations in Antarctica. The former dean of Science and Mathematics at Grand Valley spent eight days in January in Antarctica evaluating the educational and internship programs offered there.
The interns went to Denver earlier this summer to meet interns from last year, as well as seasoned veterans who regularly "go down to the ice" and were brimming with advice.
"It's all about the people, really," said Major. "If you get along with the other people there in a confined space, the extreme environment won't be all that daunting. It will be cold and dry, but we are well prepared for it and expect to have the time of our lives."
Brown is looking forward to making contact with research scientists for possible future employment leads. He is not looking forward to the 24 hours of daylight they will experience.
"We'll be there during their summer months, and that means we may get dusk, but otherwise it's constant sun," said Brown. "The silver lining is that at least we'll have enough sun to get out and do things after work."
Brown will work with the construction team to make sure that the base is safe to live in and is supplied with heat, light, and running water. Major will work as a dining attendant, which means he'll be washing dishes for about 60 hours a week. Their program coordinator continually reminds interns that it's not about their jobs, but the unique opportunity of working and living in Antarctica. While there, they will also have the opportunity to go on expeditions with the research scientists and learn about their work.
Grand Valley has a long history of involvement with Antarctica. James H. Zumberge (1923-1992) received his doctorate in 1950 at the University of Minnesota and was a professor of geology at the University of Michigan when he was selected as the first president of Grand Valley State College in February, 1962. He organized and accompanied two Antarctic expeditions, the more important one being in 1957, during the International Geophysical Year, when he was the chief glaciologist for the Ross Ice Shelf investigations. Cape Zumberge bears his name. This steep and rocky cape is located on the west side of the Ronne Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea.
