Young Explorers Series: From Ice Caps to Insights: Lessons from Polar Expeditions and Glaciology

Young Explorers Series: From Ice Caps to Insights: Lessons from Polar Expeditions and Glaciology Speaker: Dr. Wilson (Wai-Yin) Cheung — Glaciologist & Polar Explorer; one of The Explorers Club’s “World’s 50 Greatest Explorers” (2022) Hong Kong–born glaciologist and polar explorer Dr. Wilson Cheung has devoted his career to understanding glacier dynamics and climate change. Recognized by The Explorers Club as one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Explorers,” he has logged 1,000+ days in the Arctic and Antarctic, skiing to the South Pole twice and advising international teams in extreme, remote environments. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and member of The Explorers Club, Wilson co-chairs the 4th International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) research priority team under the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and contributes as a Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) expert, helping shape international polar research agendas. Beyond the field, he founded education program, mentoring the next generation of Asian alpinists and polar explorers, and delivering engaging talks across Asia to advance polar literacy and conservation. In this lecture, Wilson will share research and fieldwork from Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic (Auyuittuq & Sirmilik National Parks)—including snowline and mass-balance studies—and from Antarctic deep-field campaigns, highlighting expedition logistics, safety, and what glacier change reveals about our climate.