This 4-day Australian Antarctic Program Expeditioner Summit brings together expeditioners heading south in 2023/24 for mandatory training required to onboard and ensure the safety of our expeditioners, build community and provide a comprehensive season overview of the Australian Antarctic Program.

Location

Theatrette, Lower Hurley Building

Australian Antarctic Division
203 Channel Highway, Kingston
Google Maps

Day one – Monday 26 February

09:00 – 09:15am

Topic: Registration
Presenter: Summit concierge
Location: Outside Theatrette

09:15 – 09:25am

Topic: Monday Overview & Housekeeping
Presenter: Martin Boyle Manager, Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

09:25 – 09:40am

Topic: Welcome Expeditioner Summit
Presenter: Dani Yannopoulos, General Manager, People & Culture
Location: Theatrette

09:40 – 10:00am

Topic: Icebreaker
Presenter: Martin Boyle Manager, Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

10:00 – 10:15am

Morning Tea

10:15 – 10:40am

Topic: Australian Antarctic Program overview: History, vision and purpose of the Program.
Presenter: Rhonda Bartley, A/General Manager, Antarctic Operations
Location: Theatrette

10:45 – 11:30am

Topic: 2023–24 Season overview: Major projects and season operations, shipping and aviation transport
Presenter: Robb Clifton, Manager, Future Operations and Planning
Location: Theatrette

11:30am – 12:00pm

Topic: Media and Communications: Expeditioner tips on website, media, social media, outreach & Antarctic Photography 
Presenter: Jono Gul, Media Manager 
Location: Theatrette & Media and Communications Offices

12:00 – 1:00pm

Lunch

1:00 – 2:00pm

Topic: Professional and Ethical Standards: Integrity: Surrounding everything we do
Presenters: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water – Integrity Team, Danielle Malone & Nardi I'Anson

Location: Theatrette

2:00 – 2:20pm

Topic: Bureau of Meteorology: Introduction to Antarctic weather and the role of the Bureau on the ice
Presenter: Scott Carpentier, Technical Lead Antarctic & Marine
Location: Theatrette

2:20 – 2:45pm

Topic: Antarctic Station Modernisation: Station infrastructure upgrades
Chair: Matt Wuersching, Manager Construction
Panel: Adrian Young, Manager Strategic Infrastructure & Lisa Wilkinson, Infrastructure Engineer
Location: Theatrette

2:45 – 3:00pm

Topic: Day summary
Presenter: Martin Boyle, Manager Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

3:00pm – 3:15pm

Afternoon Tea / end of day

5:00pm

Buses to accommodation
Location: AAD Carpark

Day two – Tuesday 27 February

08:30 – 08:40am

Topic: Second day overview
Presenter: Gina Woodward, Director Expeditioner Services
Location: Theatrette

08:40 – 10:00am

Topic: Science: Antarctic research, Million-year ice core and Denman Glacier projects
Presenters:  Dr Damien Stringer, Team Lead Science, Planning & Coordination & Dr Mark Curran, Million Year Ice Core Project 
Location: Theatrette

10:00 – 10:15am

Morning tea

10:15am – 12:15pm

Topic: Building a Strong Sense of Community: Personal Qualities, Feedback, Expeditioner Performance Review and Mentorship
Presenters: Kat Rawnsley, Manager, Culture Reform & Gina Woodward, Director Expeditioner Services
Location: Theatrette

12:15 – 1:00pm

Lunch

1:00 – 1:45pm

Topic: Risk and Safety: Enterprise risk framework and managing risk, Work, health and safety
Presenters: Vicki Irvine, Risk & Assurance Lead & Keith Ashby, Manager Work Health and Safety
Location: Theatrette

1:45 – 2:15pm

Topic: Emergency Management: 
Presenters: Martin Boyle, Manager Risk & Business Continuity, Simon Owen, Antarctic Watch Keeper & Chris Gallagher, Field Operations and Emergency Response Coordinator
Location: Theatrette

2:15 – 2:45pm

Topic: Station Links: Live video link to Antarctic stations
Chair: Gina Woodward, Director Expeditioner Services
Panel:
Casey Station Leader Dave Buller
Davis Station Leader, Brett Barlee
Macquarie Island Station Leader, Justine Thompson
Mawson Station Leader, Ben John
Location: Theatrette

2:45 – 3:00pm

Afternoon tea

3:00 – 3:50pm

Topic: Life on Station: Day-to-day life, food, energy management and additional station roles
Chair: Simon Goninon, Manager Field Operations
Panel:
Noel Tennant, Station Support Officer
Shaun Gillies, Project Officer Water
Michelle Hollister, Manager Station Operations
Location: Theatrette

3:50 – 4:00pm

Topic: Day summary
Presenter: Gina Woodward, Director Expeditioner Services
Location: Theatrette

5:00pm

Buses to accommodation

Day three – Wednesday 28 February

08:30 – 08:40am

Topic: Third day overview
Presenter: Martin Boyle, Manager Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

08:40 – 10:00am

08:40-09:20 Topic: Polar Medicine: Medical support model, Q&A "You Can Ask That" 
09:20-10:00 Topic: Mental Health Support
Presenters: Dr Jeff Ayton, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine Oermann, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Clive Strauss, Deputy Chief Medical Officer & Prof Kim Norris, Director – University of Tasmania Clinical Psychologist

Location: Theatrette

10:00 – 10:15am

Morning tea

10:15 – 12:00pm

Topic: Polar Medicine rotations: Practical sessions on cold injury, personal & field hygiene, first responder and telehealth support
Presenters: Dr Jeff Ayton, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine Oermann, Deputy Chief Medical Officer & Dr Clive Strauss, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Location: Theatrette, then Breakout room

12:00 – 12:30pm

Lunch 

12:30 – 2:15pm

Topic: Antarctic Life Hacks: Separation strategies, well-being, psycho-social components and personal administration
Presenters: Maree Riley, Organisational Psychologist & Returnees
Location: Theatrette

2:30 – 3:30pm

Topic: All Staff Meeting
Presenters: Emma Campbell, Head of Division
Location: Theatrette

3:30 – 3:45pm

Afternoon tea

3:45 – 4:10pm

Topic: Orientation: Cargo and Biosecurity Centre
Presenter: Charlie Hill, Supply Chain Operations Team
Location: Theatrette

4:10 - 4:35pm

Topic: ICT - On Station: Equipment & Systems
Presenter: Matthew Spencer, ICT Project Officer
Location: Theatrette

4:35 - 4:50pm

Topic: Day summary
Presenter: Martin Boyle, Manager Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

5:00pm

Buses to accommodation

Day four – Thursday 29 February

08:30 – 08:40am

Topic: Fourth day overview
Presenter: Gina Woodward, Director Expeditioner Services
Location: Theatrette

08:40 – 9:25am

Topic: Field Safety: Theory
Presenter: Chris Gallagher, Field Operations & Emergency Response Coordinator
Location: Theatrette

9:25 – 10:00am

Topic: Field Safety: Practical sessions on field safety, survival clothing & field camps
Presenter: Chris Gallagher, Field Operations & Emergency Response Coordinator & Field Safety Officers
Location: Theatrette

10:00 – 10:15am

Morning tea

10:15am – 12:15pm

Topic: Safety Rotations: Practical session on manual handling, electrical safety and WHS 
Presenters:
Brad Conway, Leap Health
Lisa Wilkinson/Aaron Munro, Electrical
Keith Ashby, Manager Work Health and Safety
Location: Theatrette, then Breakout room

12:15 – 1:00pm

Lunch

1:00 – 2:45pm

Topic: People and Culture: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Unconscious bias and MATE Bystander training PART 1
Presenters: Griffith University, MATE Program: Dean Cooper & Dave Kramer
​​​​​​Location: Theatrette

2:45 – 3:00pm

Afternoon tea

3:00 – 4:20pm

Topic: People and Culture: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Unconscious bias and MATE Bystander training PART 2
Presenters: Griffith University, MATE Program: Dean Cooper & Dave Kramer
​​​​​​Location: Theatrette

4:20 – 4:30pm

Topic: Day summary/Close
Presenter: Martin Boyle Manager, Risk & Business Continuity
Location: Theatrette

5:00pm

Buses to accommodation

on