The Palmer Station Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) station is located along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
Palmer LTER scientists study the polar marine biome with research focused on the Antarctic marine ecosystem, including sea ice habitats, regional oceanography and terrestrial nesting sites of seabirds. The Palmer LTER is one of more than 26 LTER research sites located throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Tahiti; each focused on a specific ecosystem, that together constitute the LTER Network.
The LTER team brings Antarctica to classrooms across the country through live videoteleconferences (VTCs), data-rich programs, ask-a-scientist events, and more. Explore our resources and opportunities to find the perfect fit for your students!
For more information about the Palmer LTER and additional resources, please visit the Palmer Station LTER web site.
Live Videoteleconferences (VTCs)
Can’t bring your students to the poles? No worries, bring polar scientists into your classroom!
Drs. Josh Kohut and Bill Fraser discuss polar ecosystems with students from the U.S. Palmer Research Station, Antarctica.
Your students can participate in a real-time video teleconference (VTC) with a scientist at the Palmer LTER Station in Antarctica. Students learn about Antarctic food web ecology and how scientists are conducting long-term experiments and observations to understand our changing climate.
*Please note that there are no VTC’s currently scheduled for the 2021-22 season, due to construction at Palmer Station and limitations imposed by the pandemic.
You can get a sense of the live VTC experience by accessing any of the archived recordings linked below.
Check out this 20-minute recording – scientists in the microbial ecology group answer questions sent in by students during the 2017 field season.
Resources:
Winter 2020 – Archived VTC Recordings
Winter 2019 – List of Topics and Schools
Winter 2018 – List of Topics and Schools
Winter 2017 – List of Topics and Schools
Winter 2016 – List of Topics and Schools
