The importance of Antarctica: Understanding values for science communication

As the only continent on Earth with no indigenous population, Antarctica belongs to no one, but is valuable for all. It holds intrinsic value as a pristine wilderness that provides an environment for many unique species. It is also instrumentally important as a regulator of Earth’s climate, a tourist destination, a potential reserve of mineral resources, and a natural science laboratory. Since the earliest explorers set foot on Antarctica a little over a century ago, the continent has been a place of scientific discovery, with benefits of Antarctic research reaching far beyond the borders of the Southern Ocean. With extensive international research taking place on the continent today, it is useful for Antarctic researchers and communicators to understand how their own values towards Antarctica may differ from those of the non-researcher population. Identifying differences, or strong congruence in these values is particularly important for effective science communication strategies, such as framing a message to inspire action. This thesis compares the values that are ascribed to Antarctica by Antarctic researchers - those who have conducted research related to Antarctica at a postgraduate level or higher - to those of non-researchers who have not conducted any research related to Antarctica. It implements and analyses responses to a multiple-choice survey about the perceived importance of Antarctica, and compares results to similar surveys analysing values ascribed to Antarctica by non-researchers from Europe and North America. It was found that researchers value Antarctica most highly as a climate regulator, a wilderness, an environment for wildlife and a place to conduct science, while they did not value it highly as a tourist destination, as a key part of the history of human exploration or as a source of minerals. The creative component of this thesis is a practical piece of science communication that seeks to communicate aspects of Antarctica that hold intrinsic value. Specifically, it is an exhibition about phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean, entitled Beneath the Blooming Ice. The academic research and creative component are joined in this thesis with a discussion of how the survey findings were put to use in a science communication context creating the aforementioned exhibition