Events
International Polar Day - meet scientist Evgeny Gruzinov
1 December 2008
Evgeny Gruzinov is a leading engineer-geophysicist of the Russian Antarctic Expeditions (RAE), who has been working with Dr Gary Burns, of the Australian Antarctic Division, and Drs Oleg Troshichev and Alexandr Frank-Kamenetsky of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), on the Solar Linkages to Atmospheric Processes (SLAP) project. Evgeny is currently based at the Russian Antarctic station, Vostok, where, among other things, he runs and services the equipment used in the project. For International Polar Day - Above the Polar Regions, we asked him a few questions about his life and work in Antarctica and Russia.
What region of Russia are you from?
I am from Saint-Petersburg, where the headquarters of the Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) are located.
What is your job with RAE?
I work in the 53rd RAE and I carry out several scientific programs at the polar station Vostok, namely the observations of the atmospheric electric field variations, research on geomagnetism, seismic research and seismomonitoring.
What is your role in the SLAP project?
I service the scientific equipment – the Electric Field Mill (EFM). Every day I send EFM via satellite communication to the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). Once a month I send EFM calibration data and a report to research managers of the program.
How did you get involved in the SLAP project?
I was trained for it by research managers of the SLAP project – Alexander Frank-Kamenetsky (RAE) and Gary Burns (AAD) - in 2005, and I was invited to carry out this scientific program in the 51st and the 53rd RAE at the polar station Vostok.
What studies have you undertaken?
I graduated from the St. Petersburg University of Telecommunications in 1990, majoring in telecommunications engineering. In 2003 I completed a Masters of Business Administration program at the International Banking Institute, specialising in anti-crisis management. In 2005, I completed the management course at the St. Petersburg State University.
How did you travel to Vostok and how do you get home?
To get to Vostok from St. Petersburg I travelled aboard the scientific expedition ship Academic Federov to the polar station, Progress, with intermediate stops in Bremerhaven (Germany) and Cape Town (Republic of South Africa). From Progress I flew to Vostok. My way home will be the same, only from Cape Town I will fly to St. Petersburg.
How long will you spend at Vostok?
I will spend a complete calendar year here - from 25 December 2007 to 25 December 2008.
What is the coldest it has been while you have been at Vostok?
During this winter at Vostok I experienced the coldest temperature in my life: minus 84.1 degrees Celsius on 27 August.
What do you enjoy and what do you miss at Vostok?
I very much enjoy my scientific work and the unique conditions in Antarctica. The physical isolation for a long time from the family and friends afflicts me a little.
How do you relax at Vostok?
During my free time I watch stations films (we have nearly 2000 films available). I read books (there are about 50 000 e-books available at the station). I play pool and computer games. I am also engaged in photo and video-tape editing, I work out in the gym and I do yoga.
What do you hope for your future career?
I hope to become the chief manager of the polar station and to participate actively in the organisation, preparation and carrying out of future Russian Antarctic expeditions.
Related Links
'Above the Polar Regions' IPY Day - Australian media release
International Polar Day - Meet the Scientists
