Women lifting other women is changing science, with Alison Criscitiello

“Diverse groups produce better science. That’s a fact.”This idea sits at the heart of our conversation with Alison Criscitiello, glaciologist, mountaineer, and director of the Canadian Ice Core Lab at the University of Alberta.In this episode of En tête-à-tête, recorded during the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, we explore the world of glaciers, not just as landscapes of ice, but as archives of our planet’s past.Alison spends her life drilling ice cores, cylinders of ancient ice that allow scientists to read the climate history of the Earth layer by layer. Trapped inside those frozen layers are traces of ancient atmospheres, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and even modern pollution that has traveled thousands of kilometers through the air.But this conversation goes far beyond science.We talk about what it means to live between mountaineering and research, the emotional weight of studying climate change, and the responsibility scientists carry when communicating their work to the world.Alison also shares her perspective on representation in science, explaining how women supporting other women is helping close the gender gap in her field, and why diverse teams simply produce better science.A thoughtful and deeply human conversation about glaciers, exploration, mentorship, and the fragile balance between knowledge and responsibility in a changing world.👉 If you care about mountains, climate science, and the people working to understand our planet, this episode is for you.Enjoy✨Chapters00:00 — Introduction: meeting Alison Criscitiello04:10 — Falling in love with ice and winter landscapes05:45 — Mountaineering and science: two paths becoming one08:03 — What glaciers can reveal about Earth's past11:14 — Modern pollution discovered in Arctic ice cores14:58 — The emotional weight of studying climate change21:15 — Why scientists must communicate their work24:55 — Women supporting women in science32:37 — Girls on Ice: opening the doors of exploration36:50 — Final reflectionsAbout Alison Criscitiello 🧊Son compte Instagram Son compte LinkedInFollow our project 🏔️ - On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - On our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- On our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠