Patagonian Icefield Research Program 2025
Bernal Glacier, Kawésqar National Park, Chile
PIRP 2025 brought together students from diverse parts of the world, making the program a deeply enriching experience not only academically, but also culturally. The exchange of perspectives, traditions, and ways of understanding science and the environment added a unique layer of learning that went far beyond research itself. This diversity naturally shaped a team with dynamic, engaging, and often joyful interactions, where different fields of study, backgrounds, and personalities came together in a stimulating and collaborative atmosphere.
The campsite was located on the east side of Bernal Glacier, an area never visited by tourists. This allowed us to experience the Patagonian wilderness in solitude and calm, interrupted only by our shared work, spontaneous laughter, and the wind moving through the treetops.
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Dates: November 12 to December 1, 2025
Duration: 20 days
Fieldwork: 14 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 (Simon Fraser 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.
We have the important participation of the park ranger Ignacio Nuñez, CONAF.
This outstanding team was completed by a group of documentalists from Cabala Producciones, including Diego Rojas (Executive Producer), Isaac Moreno (sound), and Nicolás Gantz (photographer and filmmaker), who crafted beautiful images and videos about this expedition for their documentary project.
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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 Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. student in Geophysics. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y
Geofísicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. -
Navneet Singh is an Indian Ph.D. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Pennsylvania State University, USA.
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Gabriela Quispe, a Bolivian Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.
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Sandra Barrera, a Colombian Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.
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Paula Silva, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.
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Rebeca Fernandez, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile
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Andrés Cruz Mendoza, a Colombian Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.
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Javier Norambuena, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.​​
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José Zambrano, a Chilean Ms.C. student at Universidad de Magallanes, Chile.
PIRP 2025 expedition team. Top row from left to right: Natalia, Sandra, Gabriela, Pedro, Gwenn, Christina, Yara, Navneet, Anuska, Javier. Lower row: Rodrigo, Rebeca, Nadia, Ignacio, José, Diego and Camilo.
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