Explorer Journeys: Abby Wilson

Young Inspiring Explorers™ Worsley Weekend 2020

In 2020, Abby Wilson attended the very first Worsley Weekend for young explorers aged 11 to 13. When the weekend concluded, she was so inspired that she wanted to become an Antarctic conservator when she grew up.

Fast forward to 2023, and Abby, now age 14, is still working towards that goal. She approached the Trust about an ‘Adopt a Scientist’ project she was doing for school. She was tasked with finding a mentor in a scientific field and she was determined to work with the Trust. Abby chose to focus her studies on Antarctica’s heritage conservation. Trust Education Manager, Dr Gabriela Roldan who is also a Social Scientist, responded to the call.

“My interest in Antarctica has increased drastically after the programme, and I have also gained more of an appreciation for the place, and how one of a kind it is. My Inspiring Explorers experience has helped to expose me to more of Antarctica’s history, and more about the stories of the people that discovered the icy continent,” shared Abby.

Dr Roldan mentored Abby for four months from July to October 2023. The research she conducted focused on the challenges and working conditions for conservators of historic huts in Antarctica. She looked specifically at the different strategies, techniques, tools and expertise required to conserve Shackleton’s Nimrod hut and Hillary’s TAE/IGY hut, which were built 50 years apart. Abby presented the results of her work to her school community in November 2023.

“Abby is a curious person, driven by a passion for Antarctica and for the work our conservators do to preserve this significant heritage. If we nurture the interest and motivation of young people like Abby, we are fostering the next generation of Antarctic heritage conservation leaders,” said Dr Roldan.

“I think the conservation of the huts is extremely important, as it is preserving important pieces of not just Antarctic, but world history. In my opinion, the preservation of these artefacts, along with the buildings themselves, is a way to keep the stories of the expeditions alive. I view the huts as living museums, that will hopefully be able to ‘live on’ for many decades to come,” shared Abby.

“My Inspiring Explorers experience has helped to expose me to more of Antarctica’s history, and more about the stories of the people that discovered the icy continent.”