Patagonian Icefield Research Program 2026
Bernal Glacier, Kawésqar National Park, Chile
PIRP 2026 was the sixth expedition and the fourth to adopt English as its official language and invite international students. All these changes transformed it into an even more fascinating experience, enriched by a wide diversity of research fields, cultures, and personalities that somehow coalesced in a team with fun and stimulating dynamics.
The campsite was on the east side of Bernal Glacier, an area never visited by tourists. This allowed us to enjoy the wilderness of Patagonia in solitude and peace, which was broken only by the work and laughs of our expedition mates or the wind blowing through the treetops.
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Dates: November 12 to December 1, 2025
Duration: 19 days
Fieldwork: 12 days
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The expedition was led by Natalia Martinez and Camilo Rada. And counted with a fantastic group of faculty composed of Dr. Gwenn Flowers (Fraser Valley University), Dr. Christina Draeger (University of British Columbia), Dr. Rodrigo Soteres (Universidad de Magallanes) and Dr. Gino Casassa (Director of the Chilean Antarctic Institute - INACH).
The staff that managed the logistics and mountaineering curriculum comprised Natalia Martinez (lead mountain guide), Yara Vargas (local guide), and Diego Gamonal, a former PIRP 2022 student.
This outstanding team was completed with the participation of XXX, photographer and filmmaker, who crafted a beautiful short documentary about this expedition.
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This nine-strong team was there to support ten extraordinary students from all around the world.
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Nadia Cohen, a North American PhD student in Coastal and Ocean Engineering at Oregon State University, USA.
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Anuska Pudasaini is a Nepali Ph.D. student in geology at the University of Houston.
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Pedro Granovsky Moroni, a PhD in Geophysics. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y
Geofísicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. -
Navneet Singh is a Indian Ph.D. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
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Taisiia Kisileva, a Russian Ms.C. student at the Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences (IGRAS), Glaciology department. Study program: Glaciology and Cryology of the Earth
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Alberto Prado Sepulveda, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes.
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Wilmer Sánchez Rodríguez, a Peruvian Master in Science and Engineering with a mention in Risk Management and Climate Change, Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo National University, Perú.
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Cristobal Rodrigo Silva, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes.
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Malo Landrain, a French Ms.C. in Earth Sciences: Climate System - Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, Université Grenoble Alpes.
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Donglai Yang, a Chinese Geophysics, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology.​​
PIRP 2025 expedition team. Top row from left to right: Yara, Malo, Natalia, Camilo, Ana Carolina, Paul, Javiera, Fabianne, Wilmer, Michaela, Santiago, Gino. Lower row: Cristobal, Alberto, Anastasiia, Taisiia, Han-Yu, Donglai, and David.
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Take a trip into PIRP 2024 through David Cossio's and Fabianne Meier's short video.