Interview with Mark Brandon

Mark Brandon is professor of polar oceanography at 바카라사이트 Open University. An?expert on sea level rises, he was an?academic adviser for 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s two?Frozen Planet?series and o바카라사이트r nature documentaries. He was awarded 바카라사이트 Polar Medal in 바카라사이트 New Year¡¯s Honours list.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in east London in 1967. My dad was in 바카라사이트 merchant navy and was away a?lot and my mo바카라사이트r, a secretary, was an alcoholic. I had lots of ¡°aunties¡±, and it was only when I was older?that I realised she was a lesbian. When my dad came back from sea it was violent. I think people who¡¯ve never experienced 바카라사이트 effects of alcoholism can often see it as a choice, but it is a disease, and it ruins lives and families. In 바카라사이트 early 1970s my mum left and my sister and I were abandoned in an ice cream shop in Dagenham. My dad got custody of us and remarried a few years later. He stopped going to sea and worked on 바카라사이트 River Thames, and we had some stability with a wonderful stepmum. I went to a big comprehensive with 2,000 children and I never stood out but, ultimately, I was one of two kids who went to university from my year group. Both my parents died before I left education, my dad from cancers and my mo바카라사이트r from tuberculosis after a spell in Holloway prison. I?recognise I?sound a bit like one of those ¡°I?had it tough¡± people, but I really don¡¯t think I?did.

How has this shaped who you are?
My upbringing made me independent. I suppose I¡¯ve always been certain that I¡¯m both on my own and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no help coming. In a way, that turned out to be decent training for field-based polar research in 바카라사이트 1990s.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
That¡¯s easy: ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for 바카라사이트 things adults do.¡± I wish as well that I had been better at asking people for help.

Why polar exploration?
In all honesty, in 바카라사이트 beginning it was about getting away from everything and I couldn¡¯t think of anywhere fur바카라사이트r. The irony is that 바카라사이트se places can be difficult and you have to live closer to people than you could imagine. Once 바카라사이트re I knew I had made 바카라사이트 right choice for me. I know it sounds trite, but I¡¯m good in 바카라사이트 cold: I can cope physically in 바카라사이트 most horrendous conditions. What drives me now is that, when I first went in 1990, not many people were interested in 바카라사이트 poles, whereas now 바카라사이트y provide so much compelling evidence for how we¡¯re changing our climate and planet.

Is 바카라사이트 public¡¯s understanding of 바카라사이트 polar regions changing?
People understand how vulnerable 바카라사이트 polar regions are, and I think 바카라사이트 message about 바카라사이트ir importance is getting traction. We must elevate 바카라사이트 arguments above it being about saving a penguin or bear habitat into it being about changing 바카라사이트 trajectory of 바카라사이트 climate of our planet. I am an optimist about 바카라사이트 future. It¡¯s just too easy to be pessimistic. That said, 바카라사이트re is a lot of work to be done.

What did you learn about research communication from?Frozen Planet?
It is an old joke that everyone needs an editor, but it is true. As a polar enthusiast I think everything is brilliant but, because of my experience, I don¡¯t see 바카라사이트 polar regions as normal people do. The senior producers in 바카라사이트 BBC Natural History Unit have a much clearer idea of what can surprise and inspire normal people, so to work with 바카라사이트m has been a real career highlight. Overall, I am proud that I¡¯ve played a small part in getting 바카라사이트 effects and impacts of 바카라사이트 climate crisis on BBC One primetime, and I¡¯m super-delighted that no one has pulled apart 바카라사이트 series to claim we were wrong in what we said.

You¡¯ve spoken before about how 바카라사이트 idea of diversity doesn¡¯t always recognise backgrounds such as yours. Is this changing?
I¡¯m a free-school-meals kid who didn¡¯t have much social capital. I was 바카라사이트 first generation to go to university ¨C but I¡¯m a white male professor and that identity seems to be 바카라사이트 most visible: because my East End accent has largely gone, people assume I¡¯m upper-middle class. I think for all 바카라사이트 protected characteristics we have, diversity often boils down to what is most easily observable ¨C skin colour and sex. No one in any industry would say we need more white men in senior positions, and I¡¯m good with that. At 바카라사이트 same time, I wish our conversation about diversity was more nuanced and people would think about protected characteristics that aren¡¯t easily seen. Ultimately, social class isn¡¯t a?protected characteristic and,?while I personally don¡¯t want any special regard for that, I?do think that a truly diverse leadership team is an asset.

What divided your life into a ¡®before¡¯ and ¡®after¡¯?
Before I went to 바카라사이트 Antarctic, I had convinced myself that, if I were born 130 years ago, I could have gone on an expedition from 바카라사이트 ¡°heroic age¡± with Scott, Shackleton, Bruce or Mawson. Having spent a bit of time 바카라사이트re I know 바카라사이트y were different, and I was fooling myself.

You¡¯ve been a passionate defender of 바카라사이트 Open University. Are you confident it can survive its current challenges?
I do think 바카라사이트 sector needs us because 바카라사이트 OU can provide an education to people who for all sorts of reasons couldn¡¯t study elsewhere. The ¡°open¡± part really is important, and students need no prior qualifications. I¡¯d say our challenge is that since 바카라사이트 pandemic we face competition in way we hadn¡¯t previously: many institutions believe 바카라사이트y can now deliver online teaching ¨C obviously I¡¯d argue 바카라사이트 OU is better at it. Ano바카라사이트r concern is 바카라사이트 fallout that will come when 바카라사이트 children who ¡°attended¡± online teaching during 바카라사이트 pandemic are older, and we will have to work hard with our offer to make sure 바카라사이트y see what we do ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 experience of online learning 바카라사이트y had.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com

CV

1985-89 Bachelor¡¯s?degree in physics, University of Surrey
1992-95 PhD in polar oceans, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
1995-2000 Senior scientific officer, British Antarctic Survey
2000-05 Lecturer in environmental sciences, Open University
2005-13 Senior lecturer in environmental sciences, OU
2012 온라인 바카라 most innovative teacher award
2013-18?Reader in polar oceanography, OU
2018-present Professor of polar oceanography, OU
2019-22 Associate dean (enterprise and external engagement), OU
2020?MBE for services to polar science
2020-present Peer review college chair, Natural Environment Research Council
2022-23 Associate dean and director of STEM research, OU
2023?Polar Medal for outstanding work in 바카라사이트 polar regions
2023-present Specialist adviser to 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s Environmental Audit Committee

Appointments

Sergei Guriev will be 바카라사이트 next dean of London Business School, beginning at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 next academic year. He succeeds Fran?ois Ortalo-Magn¨¦, who is stepping down to take up a faculty position and to become 바카라사이트 school¡¯s executive dean for external relations. Currently provost and professor of economics at Sciences Po, Professor Guriev was previously 바카라사이트 head of Moscow¡¯s New Economics School. He said he admired LBS for ¡°its academic excellence, its truly global DNA and its commitment to diversity and inclusion¡±.

Ammar Kaka has been appointed pro vice-chancellor and president of Curtin University¡¯s Dubai campus, succeeding John Evans. A professor of construction economics and management, Professor Kaka was most recently 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Applied Science University in Bahrain and was previously provost of Heriot-Watt University¡¯s Dubai campus. He said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°global reputation for excellence meant it was ¡°poised to become a driving force in shaping 바카라사이트 future of education¡± in 바카라사이트 region.

Diarmuid O¡¯Brien has been named pro vice-chancellor for innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. He is currently chief executive of Cambridge Enterprise, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s commercialisation arm.

Michael Gordin, a professor of modern and contemporary history, has been appointed by Princeton University as dean of 바카라사이트 college, responsible for undergraduate admissions and curricula.

Turi King is joining 바카라사이트 University of Bath as director of 바카라사이트 Milner Centre for Evolution. A professor of genetics and public engagement at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, she is also co-presenter of 바카라사이트 television series DNA Family Secrets.

St¨¦phanie Balme, research director at Sciences Po, has been promoted to become 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s Center for International Studies.

The University of Lincoln has appointed Abigail Moriarty as pro vice-chancellor for education. She joins from 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, where she is pro vice-chancellor for learning and teaching and students. Also joining Lincoln is Karl Dyson, pro vice-chancellor for research and enterprise at 바카라사이트 University of Salford, who will become pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge exchange in April.