Between glaciers and ice: polar researcher Birgit Sattler in a television interview

Birgit Sattler has been involved in Sparkling Science projects for many years, which actively involve schoolchildren in research processes. These include BLACK.ICE and COVER.UP, which deal with microbial communities such as bacteria, algae and fungi, and glacier dynamics, as well as the current PLASTIC.ALPS, which works with school classes to investigate the spread of plastic waste and microplastics in the Alpine region. The aim of all these projects is to spark enthusiasm for science and raise awareness among young people of environmental issues and climate change.

In a recent television interview, Birgit Sattler provided insights into her research work and explained the importance of polar research in the context of climate change. The glaciologist, who received the Austrian Woman of the Year award in 2025, reported on her research trips to Antarctica, where she and her team are investigating life in the ice. In the interview, she emphasised the role of ice as an archive of environmental history and a mirror of society, because even in remote regions such as Antarctica, traces of civilisation can be found that reveal the influences of human activity. These observations are crucial for understanding the connections between climate change and promoting a more conscious approach to the environment.

The television interview with Birgit Sattler is available here (until 14 January 2026; in German).