Supporting research in extreme environments

Chico Perales scaling the ice.

Chico Perales in a crevasse.

In spring 2008, Richard “Chico” Perales worked with scientists, the local indigenous Iñupiaq people, and other support personnel near Barrow, Alaska. Chico is a project field coordinator with Polar Field Services, a logistical contractor that supports National Science Foundation research projects in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Chico blogged about his field research around Barrow, providing an insider’s view of what it’s like to live and do scientific work in such an extreme environment. He sent stories about the men and women who face countless risks—from polar bear encounters to brutal storms and extreme cold—in the name of science.

Preparing for science in extreme conditions.