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Diane McKnight

Diane McKnight in a barren landscape in Antarctica
Civil, environmental, and architectural engineer
University of Colorado Boulder

  • Trips to Antarctica: 25
  • Studying: Biogeochemistry of lakes and streams
  • Discovered: Communities of organisms that come back to life after freeze-drying
  • Amazed that: When she first went to Antarctica in the 1980’s, Russia wasn’t allowing women on research teams.
  • Said: “As a faculty member, it’s a real privilege to teach students; they are truly an inspiration to me. They are the ones who will be on the front lines of dealing with the changing climate.”
  • Fun fact: She wrote a children’s book about Antarctica.