Antarctica to Europa: A Special Session with Professor John Priscu
Description
10:00 am — Welcome and introduction
10:10 am — Professor John Priscu: Antarctica, Astrobiology and the Search for Life
What can life beneath the Antarctic ice teach us about the possibility of life elsewhere in the Solar System?
Professor John Priscu will take teachers and students inside the hidden environments beneath Antarctica’s ice. Drawing on decades of Antarctic research, he will explain how scientists investigate microorganisms living in cold, dark and isolated lakes—and what these remarkably resilient ecosystems reveal about the conditions required for life.
Students will discover that these microorganisms do more than survive: some produce methane while others consume it, creating a hidden ecosystem that influences the carbon cycle beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet.
He will connect this research to the search for life in the subsurface oceans of icy worlds such as Jupiter’s moon Europa, introducing some of the scientific questions, evidence and technologies involved in modern astrobiology.
Professor Priscu’s career has taken him beneath frozen lakes, across the Antarctic ice and into collaborations with NASA engineers developing technology for future exploration of Europa. His discoveries helped transform Antarctica from a continent once thought largely lifeless into one recognised as containing hidden, biologically active ecosystems.
He will share stories from Antarctic fieldwork, describe his own pathway into Antarctic science and astrobiology, and introduce the many disciplines that contribute to the field—including biology, chemistry, geology, physics, engineering and planetary science. He will offer practical encouragement and advice for students considering future study and careers in science and exploration.
10:40 am — Questions from teachers and students
Teachers and students will have the opportunity to ask Professor Priscu about life beneath the ice, Europa, Antarctic exploration, scientific discoveries, fieldwork in extreme environments and pathways into astrobiology-related careers.
11:10 am — Closing remarks
11:20 am — Event concludes
FAQs
- Is the event free?
Yes, but registration is required because seating is limited. If you book and later cannot attend, please cancel your ticket so someone else can take your place.
- Is there really life beneath Antarctica’s ice?
Yes. Scientists have discovered active microbial ecosystems in Antarctic lakes and beneath the ice sheet, surviving without sunlight in extremely cold conditions. John Priscu has helped lead research investigating these remarkable environments.
- What does Antarctica have to do with life in space?
Antarctica provides some of Earth’s closest analogues for cold and icy environments elsewhere in the Solar System. Studying how life survives beneath Antarctic ice helps scientists design ways to search for life on worlds such as Europa, an ice-covered moon of Jupiter.
- Can I ask John a question?
Absolutely. We design the event to be an opportunity for questions - the presentation will be followed by audience questions.
- Has John Priscu worked in New Zealand before?
Yes. Early in his career, John worked at the DSIR Taupō Research Laboratory, conducted research aboard New Zealand’s RV Tangaroa, and participated in the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme.
- Will the event be available online?
No. This special morning session is an in-person experience designed for teachers and secondary-school students to meet Professor John Priscu and ask him questions directly. An evening public lecture will also be webcast for those unable to attend in person.
- Where can I learn more about John’s research?
Visit the Priscu Research Group at Montana State University to explore his research into Antarctic lakes, microbial ecosystems and life beneath the ice.
Read Quanta Magazine’s fascinating profile, “He Found ‘Islands of Fertility’ Beneath Antarctica’s Ice.”
Lineup
John Priscu
John Priscu is Emeritus Regents Professor of Ecology at Montana State University and an internationally recognised Antarctic scientist and astrobiologist. His research focuses on the microbiology and biogeochemistry of icy environments. He was Chief Scientist of the Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA) project and served as Executive Committee member and Chief Scientist of the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling (WISSARD) project. He was also Co-Director of Montana State University's Centre for Astrobiology. Earlier in his career, John Priscu worked at New Zealand's DSIR Taupō Research Laboratory, conducted research aboard RV Tangaroa, and participated in the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme. His work on Antarctic lakes, the McMurdo Dry Valleys and aquatic environments hidden beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet connects Antarctic exploration with fundamental questions about habitability and the search for life on icy worlds beyond Earth. Two cold-adapted Antarctic microorganisms, Chlamydomonas priscuii and Psychrobacter priscuii, have been named in his honour.
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