Constructing an Antarctic Atlas (Part I)

Saturday, 2 February 2019 – Friday, 8 February 2019

The AA Polar Lab inaugurates the two-year Research Platform with a workshop devoted to understanding and visualizing the geopolitical system that governs the most extreme and experimental of all continents: Antarctica.

Punctuated by conversations with Antarctic experts and run in collaboration with Accurat, the workshop aims to construct the first comprehensive Antarctic Atlas, which at once charts the evolution of polar architectures (including archaeological huts, bases and 75 scientific stations) while unfolding the implications of the Antarctic Treaty. Signed in 1959 by 12 countries (now 29), the Treaty de-facto “transformed” the continent into a laboratory, i.e. into the only non-nationalised, demilitarized, denuclearized territory of the world, devoted uniquely to (shared) scientific research. A deep understanding of the policies that contribute to preserve the fragile ecosystem South of latitude 60° – including the much debated Protocol on Environmental Protection – will be central to the workshop’s agenda.

Output: Comprehensive data-driven info-graphic Antarctic Atlas, to be presented at the SCAR standing Committee on the Humanities & social Sciences (SC-HASS) in Ushuaia in April 2019.

Eligibility: The workshop is open to all AA students currently enrolled at undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programmes. AA Alumni can also participate provided they have an the AA Membership. 
Software Requirements: Adobe suite and Excel. If possible: Rawgraphs, Flourish, QGis, Gephi, Tableau.

Application: 
1) You can make an application by sending an email to office@antarctica200.org. The email should be accompanied by a brief statement which expands on your interest on the Antarctica 200 project. A CV is welcome but not required. 
2) Upon receipt of the confirmation email, and undersigning of the project IP Waver attached to the first, you will be registered to the programme.
The deadline for applications is 23 January 2019. Please note that places are limited to 15 students and early booking is recommended.

Directed by: Giulia Foscari & Francesco Bandarin (AA Polar Lab Directors)

Guest Collaborators: Accurat*
Marco Bernardi – Accurat Deputy Design Director.
Alessandro Zotta - Accurat Data Visualization Designer.

Guest Speakers: 
Prof. David Walton – Emeritus Professor & Fellow, British Antarctic Survey.
Prof. Klaus Dodds – Professor at Royal Holloway University of London
Ms. Camilla Nichol – Chief Executive, UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.

Workshop Tutors: Federica Sofia Zambeletti, Lloyd Lee.

*Accurat is a data-driven research, design, and innovation firm, with offices in Milan and New York. The international team of data scientists, analysts, designers and developers of Accurat work collaboratively with clients to design and deploy internal and external data visualizations, interfaces, and tools that drive insight and engagement.

Image Credit: Accurat