Why did you want to take part in the expedition?

• “I’m going through a program called Polar Trec and what they do is they match teachers with researchers in Arctic and Antarctic locations. What really appealed to me about the program is that I could still be a teacher and bring that experience back to my classroom but I got the really authentic experience of going to Antarctica, researching, being there first-hand and exploring it.”

How are you preparing for the  expeditions and the cold temperatures in Antarctica?

• “It’s definitely very cold, but my preparation right now is more learning about the science of the project and getting myself caught up on the history behind “Project Ice Cube”, which is what I’ll be working on. As we get closer to the date, it’ll be more like what exactly do you pack for Antarctica and how do you really stay warm and what are the essentials you need to take. From now until next winter, it’s really just different stages [of preparation].”

Will you bring your experiences back to Washington-Lee as a teaching tool?

• “One of the things I will be doing is journaling every single day, and so anyone who would like to follow along can read my journals. I will be doing a Polar Connect event, which is a live streaming video from Antarctica while I’m there, and I will be answering questions from students all around the U.S. through Skype. After the experiment, I’m really looking forward to bringing that experience back to my classroom, creating labs to emulate what’s its like to do science in the real world right now, to make the classroom experience more authentic so students are more prepared for when they go out and become the next scientists.”

Finally, are you excited for the expedition and are there any other teachers also going?

• “Yes, I’m definitely excited, but it’s hard to choose which part I’m most excited about because I’m excited just to be there because not many people will get to go to Antarctica so that in itself is very special. Then I’m really excited about the science of my project. It’s just really cool physics that’s blowing my mind, but also just seeing everything for myself. I’ve heard about it and talked to people who’ve been there but to really be there and experience it, it’s a dream come true. I know a teacher that has been through this program. She used to teacher at Washington- Lee. Her name is Ms. Sherry, and she went on the same program to the South Pole for this project, so that’s been really helpful.”

To hear more about Millers expedition follow her journal, https://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/ice-cube-neutrino-observatory-2016 and like her Facebook page www.facebook.com/MillerSouthPole.