Meet the Team – Annette
Meet Annette! Polar Scientist, Marine Mammal Specialist, and Citizen Science Coordinator on board our voyages.
The staff that make up the Polar Latitudes expedition and home teams are much more than a team – we are a tight-knit family. Most of us voyage together year after year, sharing a deep love for Antarctica. We take immense pleasure in making sure your trip is one you’ll never forget, and are proud of how highly experienced and synced to our guests’ needs each staff member is.
Here’s a chance to get to know some of the members of our amazing team a little bit better.
Dr. Annette Bombosch
Name and Job: Annette, Marine Mammal lecturer and Citizen Science Coordinator
From: Bavaria, Germany
What is your background/education/field of study? I am a biologist by training, having completed my PhD studying humpback and Antarctic minke whales in the Southern Ocean.
How did you first get interested in Antarctica?
I received an email about a Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies, while I was at a Conference in Christchurch, NZ. I would have never guessed how much this course would influence my future professional life. Best decision ever to apply.
Have you been to Antarctica?
Yes. I am extremely fortunate to have had that privilege multiple times. The first time, I flew South to NZ’s Scott Base, then went with the German Research Icebreaker on 2 multi-week research trips and have been working as an Antarctic guide since 2014.
What is your favourite thing about Antarctica?
It’s the feeling you get when you’re there. Antarctica is so much more than just a place. There is this Antarctic feeling, I get that is only present when down South. It’s a mix of calmness, wonder and humbleness, as if your eyes are opened to look at our planet in a totally different way.
What is your favourite Antarctic animal? That’s a tough one. My favourites are the whales, yet most of them migrate out of Antarctica during the winter times. So, if I have to choose a true Antarctic animal the Adélie penguin clearly wins. Their comical behaviour is heartwarming and when they lift up their head they have a white heart on their “chin”.
Tell us about your job at PL: I love my job! Over the years I have had various jobs. At the moment, I either work as marine mammal lecturer, citizen science coordinator and am part of the WHOI science team on Polar Latitudes’ Whale Science Voyages.
What do you love about your job at PL? One of my favourite things is to show this amazing place to guests, to pass on my passion for this amazing place and get them excited about it too. There is the one moment in a trip, where you can see it in the eyes of the guests that they have been taken by Antarctica’s wonders. It’s a certain spark in their eyes – and that tells me, Antarctica got under their skin and I did my job right.
What are your favourite hobbies? Photography, hiking, listening to music and being surrounded by great friends.
What do you do to explore? I like to explore the outdoors. Nature has so much to offer. Often you don’t even need to go very far, you just need to be open to let nature surprise and inspire you. Be it sitting in a hide watching kingfishers or summiting mountains – just have a watchful eye and let nature surprise you. Of course, this is all done best when shared with friends or family.
If you could explore anywhere right now, where would it be? The where isn’t really important right now. The key thing would be to explore with friends that I haven’t seen in what feels like a lifetime.