I never planned a career in telecoms or digital connectivity. At school, my passion was science, and I followed that path to university and a degree in oceanography and chemistry.
After university I worked and studied in New York for a year through the Mountbatten Program which gave me time to think about what really interested me, as I made lots of coffee and ran errands for senior executives.
When I returned to the UK, I applied for a graduate job with a global engineering consultancy, within their environmental division. To this day, I’m still not sure what made them invite me for an interview with their digital communications team, as I had zero experience or qualifications in telecoms.
I thought there was no way I would get the job. However, I did – and it was the start of a career which has seen me deploy mobile infrastructure and improve connectivity to some of the most remote places on the planet.
And you don’t get any more remote than Antarctica, where my career path eventually led me. To work for the British Antarctic Survey as a communication manager at the Halley Research station, I first needed six months of training.
I remember being overwhelmed by the schedule, which covered all the communication systems I would have to manage, operate and maintain on the station.
I also had to learn about tower climbing, marine communications, air traffic management and how to operate other scientific equipment, including how to launch weather balloons and process the data they recorded, to send back to the UK MET office to help them predict weather and monitor climate change.
My preparation also included field training on putting up pyramid tents, polar camping techniques, ropes skills, climbing and basic first aid.
Connecting Antarctica with the rest of the world
After an intense six months, in October 2010 I was finally ready to depart into the unknown.
During my few weeks at Halley, I felt completely lost both in terms of my job and surroundings. Vast white emptiness spread out in every direction, with no trees, plants or mountains for reference. Apart from the other scientists and operational support colleagues, there were no other people around. Most other research stations in Antarctica are hundreds of miles apart, so the only daily interactions I had were with those at Halley.
That made communications at the station hugely important. In previous eras, those who went South were simply given a 200-word limit once a month via telex to communicate with one nominated contact; however, our main link back to the outside world was via a 256Kbps satellite link. It sounds so insignificant in today’s world of gigabit connections, but it was a lifeline that allowed us phone calls back home, as well as email.
The ups and downs
People often think it’s hugely exciting and heroic living on the ice, but large parts of each week were taken up with mundane housekeeping jobs like cleaning or digging snow.
My highlights include fixing the HF antenna when it fell down in a storm, getting chased by penguins, experiencing the true meaning of a ‘white out’ while living in a pyramid tent, abseiling down a crevasse, and helping co-pilot a Twin Otter.
During the winter, when the continent was truly unpredictable with ice, howling winds, and nothing but complete darkness, I started to realise that humans are not designed to live in Antarctica long-term. When the temperatures hit minus 50, you can actually feel your lungs freeze with every breath.
That said, it was during winter that I had some of my most memorable experiences. It was almost supernatural standing on the ice shelf in total darkness, hearing it crack as it moved beneath my feet and having my first sight of the Aurora Australis. The best part of winter, though, was seeing my first sunrise after spending so long in the dark.
Antarctica wasn’t just a trip – it was my home for fourteen months, and where I met my now husband. I am so lucky to have been able to see what is, unarguably, the most inaccessible, pristine, and captivating part of the world.
The need for more female role models in the telecoms industry
It was only on my return to the UK that I realised how isolating and vulnerable an existence it had been. I started to think about my career and just how few female role models I had throughout it, and how it is still a challenge at times to work in a male-dominated industry.
I will always remember arriving at Halley to find none of the winter boots or socks would fit me, as polar clothing was only designed for men, who generally don’t have size 4 feet.
I’ve also had moments where someone has dismissed my ideas in a meeting, but then accepted the same idea when presented by a man. I have been to conferences where people have assumed my junior male colleague is my boss. I’ve also been paid significantly less than my male counterparts for doing the same job.
However, none of these barriers put me off, and I am thankful things are much better and equal at FarrPoint, where I am now Head of Mobile. I can continue to make a difference by improving connectivity through my consultancy work, advising clients such as the Welsh and Scottish Governments or DCMS.
Changing the perspective: telecoms isn’t something women cannot do
Things are better now for women than when I started my working life. However, more can be done to ensure certain careers – like telecoms – are not viewed as something girls cannot do. This should start as early as possible in education, by encouraging girls into STEM subjects. It also needs female role models for girls in jobs which they can look up to – something I missed out on.
I’d also like to see more organisers think about the gender balance of their keynote speakers or panel discussions at conferences, which still doesn’t always happen at the technical events I attend.
Overall though, I am proud to play a part in changing how women are viewed in telecoms and encouraging girls to consider a career in this exciting industry – or even a winter in Antarctica.
Changing the perspective: telecoms isn’t something women cannot do
Things are better now for women than when I started my working life. However, more can be done to ensure certain careers – like telecoms – are not viewed as something girls cannot do. This should start as early as possible in education, by encouraging girls into STEM subjects. It also needs female role models for girls in jobs which they can look up to – something I missed out on.
I’d also like to see more organisers think about the gender balance of their keynote speakers or panel discussions at conferences, which still doesn’t always happen at the technical events I attend.
Overall though, I am proud to play a part in changing how women are viewed in telecoms and encouraging girls to consider a career in this exciting industry – or even a winter in Antarctica!