February 16, 2000
Contact: Nick Patterson
(205)975-8858/[email protected]
UAB RESEARCHERS EXPLORE ANTARCTICA
Expedition Leaves Feb. 24 and Includes Teachers, Students, and Internet Community
STORY: A team of seven scientists lead by UAB biologist James McClintock, Ph.D., and Bill J. Baker, Ph.D., from the Florida Institute of Technology will explore Antarctica next month, studying the chemical defenses of marine organisms in the coldest place on earth. The trip continues the work pursued by McClintock and Baker, whose trips and discoveries have been publicized in American Scientist, Nature, and Wall Street Journal.
MISSION: The National Science Foundation-funded trip allows researchers "to continue looking at the evolution of chemical defenses important to organisms in both marine and terrestrial environments," said UAB Biologist Charles Amsler, Ph.D., a veteran Antarctic explorer and team member. Antarctica, McClintock noted, is the only place on earth some of the organisms studied can be found.
Their research may eventually have side benefits to humans, as it may discover chemical compounds that can be used to combat diseases such as heart disease, cystic fibrosis, cancer and AIDS.
CREW: McClintock, dean of the UAB School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Baker are co-investigators and will lead a team of researchers that includes Amsler, UAB graduate student Andrew Mahon, Bruce Furrow, a graduate student from Florida Institute of Technology, postdoctoral student Katrin Iken, of UAB, and Joanna Hubbard, a teacher at Hanshew Middle School in Anchorage, Alaska. Because of their extensive research on the Antarctic continent, both McClintock and Baker were recognized last year by the U.S. Board of Geographic Names with points on the Antarctic map named in their honor. Amsler also is an experienced Antarctic researcher, as is Iken. Hubbard is participating in the research trip under the auspices of the NSF program Teachers Experiencing Antarctica or the Arctic (TEA) program.
Passengers: Accompanying the researchers will be Timothy Bear, a well-traveled teddy bear from Hall Kent Elementary School in Homewood, Ala., and Tuffy, a Beanie Baby dog from a class of Fairhope, Ala. fourth graders.
ITINERARY: Feb. 24 -- The researchers leave for Punta Arenas, Chili, arriving Feb. 25.
Feb. 26 -- Visit to Torres del Paine National Park, where they will remain until Feb. 28
Feb. 28 -- Return to Punta Arenas, where they will be issued clothing and board a research ship.
March 1 -- The ship leaves for Antarctica March 1
March 5 -- Ship arrives at Palmer Station
NOTE: March 24 -- McClintock will return to the United States.
May 10 -- Remainder of the team returns
FYI: McClintock and Amsler will be available for interview before Feb. 23. McClintock will be available for interviews after the trip in late March. Amsler will be available when he returns from Palmer Station in May.
WOW UAB: UAB's new interactive research Web site, WOW, will document the Antarctic trip from beginning to end with pictures, letters from the researchers, and question-and-answer opportunities for students and other visitors. Access UAB's WOW Web site via the UAB front door, http://www.uab.edu. The site will launch Feb. 24
Call: McClintock, and Amsler, 205-934-5102; or email to [email protected], or [email protected].
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