It has been a few weeks since the Polaris Project disbanded and I’ve had some time to reflect on my experience. I remember distinctly when Max Holmes invited me into his office to show me pictures of Cherskii and describe the Polaris Project. While the pictures and descriptions provided me with some idea of where I was headed, there was no way I could have anticipated the effect my time in Cherskii would have on me.
The Polaris project begins and ends with science, but the science is just the beginning. In our final reflections in Moscow, I think Max Janicek summed it up perfectly when he said, “it’s the people that make the experience so special.” I couldn’t agree more and I couldn’t have asked for a more fun, smart, or compatible group then we had this summer. I was deeply moved by our group’s final reflections because I think they really brought home why the Polaris Project is so unique. The Polaris Project is scientific collaboration at a level I’ve never experienced, where deep friendship is fostered alongside learning. For this reason, my time in Cherskii was not simply a field trip and some notes. It was a defining and influential experience in my life because of the relationships and connections I made with the other students and professors.
Walking through the moss covered larch forests and next to snow patches in the tundra was unbelievable. The beauty of the landscape never waned over my time there and by the end I felt like I was leaving home. Throughout college, we have many “homes” including where we grew up, apartments over the summer, dorms, off-campus houses etc. I guarantee few people ever call a barge sitting on the Kolyma River in Siberia a home. How incredible is that?
My stream project with Erin and John was very exciting, and like the other students, there is much more work ahead. Looking back, I am very grateful for the encouragement and guidance provided to me by all of the PIs. The students were truly lucky to have each and every professor for their unique expertise and enthusiasm. I was always surprised by the immediacy with which they could satisfy any question that I had. You cannot learn like this from a lecture or a textbook. Many times my conversations with the PI’s pertained to the science we were doing, but they were often about the paths that led them to be arctic scientists. As a result, I’m more interested in arctic science than ever before, I can definitely see myself pursuing this field of science.
The whole time was remarkable, and I am so thankful that I had a chance to meet all the PI’s and students. The trip definitely surpassed my expectations and I just felt like reiterating some of the reasons why it meant so much to me in this reflection.
Thank you to all the friends I made in Cherskii who provided me with such a unique and unforgettable experience.
Travis
PS There was a great 2-part article on Siberia in the last two issues of the New Yorker. You can’t read it unless you subscribe, but here’s a pretty neat slideshow by the photographer.
