Keynote: Sustained monitoring in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean: past, present, and where do we go from here
Tracks
Stanley Burbury Theatre
| Friday, August 28, 2026 |
| 1:20 PM - 1:50 PM |
Overview
Dr Patricia Miloslavich, Australian Antarctic Division
Speaker
Dr. Patricia Miloslavich
Program Lead
Australian Antarctic Division
Sustained monitoring in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean: past, present, and where do we go from here
Abstract Document
Australia’s Antarctic monitoring activities began in the late 1940s and were initially focused on weather, atmospheric physics, and glaciology. Over decades, it expanded into multidisciplinary observations across the Southern Ocean and Antarctic regions, covering wildlife, ocean and atmospheric processes, and ice dynamics. Although substantial long-term data have been collected and managed by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, a 2021 review found efforts were often uncoordinated, leading to data gaps and limited comparability. In response, the East Antarctic Monitoring Program was established in 2022 to improve coordination, integrate data collection and analysis, and align outputs with policy and operational needs. Metadata audits show a strong emphasis on biological, oceanic, and cryospheric data, with particular focus on vertebrate species.
Currently, monitoring activities are distributed across research stations, each targeting specific systems based on local infrastructure, biodiversity, and ecosystems—for example, wildlife studies at Macquarie Island and atmospheric measurements at Davis Station. Recent campaigns have focused on establishing new environmental baselines in the Denman Glacier region and Heard and McDonald Islands, complemented by routine data collection from the RSV Nuyina.
Looking ahead, the 2025–2035 Australian Antarctic Science Decadal Strategy prioritises integrated, long-term monitoring and multidisciplinary programs as essential for understanding climate change, biodiversity, and human impacts. Planned implementation includes sustained observations and targeted campaigns designed to meet both scientific and policy needs.
Currently, monitoring activities are distributed across research stations, each targeting specific systems based on local infrastructure, biodiversity, and ecosystems—for example, wildlife studies at Macquarie Island and atmospheric measurements at Davis Station. Recent campaigns have focused on establishing new environmental baselines in the Denman Glacier region and Heard and McDonald Islands, complemented by routine data collection from the RSV Nuyina.
Looking ahead, the 2025–2035 Australian Antarctic Science Decadal Strategy prioritises integrated, long-term monitoring and multidisciplinary programs as essential for understanding climate change, biodiversity, and human impacts. Planned implementation includes sustained observations and targeted campaigns designed to meet both scientific and policy needs.
Biography
Dr. Patricia Miloslavich is a marine biologist and oceanographer and Program Lead of the East Antarctic Monitoring Program at the Australian Antarctic Division. The program is focused in delivering coordinated, long-term observations of key environmental and biological variables across East Antarctica and the Southern Ocean to improve understanding of ecosystem change and inform decision making.
With over 35 years of international experience, Dr. Miloslavich has held leadership roles including Executive Director of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), International Project Officer for the Biology and Ecosystems Panel of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Co-chair of the UN Ocean Decade Vision 2030 Working Group #7 to Expand the Global Ocean Observing System, President of the International Association for Biological Oceanography (IABO), and Senior Scientist for the Census of Marine Life Program.
She was a Full Professor at Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela, mentoring students, and leading research in marine science for over 25 years, fostering multinational networks and collaborations.
With over 120 scientific publications, she is recognised as a leading voice in international ocean science and for her impact at the science–policy interface, having contributed to global policy assessments such as the UN World Ocean Assessment I and II, and to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), where she was CLA of the first Global Assessment and currently co-chairs the Monitoring Assessment.
Dr. Miloslavich was honoured with the Lorenzo Mendoza Fleury Science Award (Venezuela’s National Science Award) and appointed to the Latin American Academy of Sciences. An active science communicator engaging policymakers, the media, and the public worldwide, she has delivered keynote addresses and participated in high-level panels at major international conferences and United Nations events.
https://www.antarctica.gov.au/science/meet-our-scientists/dr-patricia-miloslavich/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=peAqI_4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
