An update from Jenny Heinzen, MREA Curriculum Director — See her previous updates for background on Jenny’s mission.

An Update from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station!
Hello again MREA friends,
It’s now late–January, which means there’s another full month of work to do before we leave the ice and the 40-some “winter-overs” stay for the brutally cold and dark months. It’s incredible how much the IceCube Upgrade team has done this summer, and it’s hard to believe we have to pack it all up and winterize everything before we go. Next year’s crew will set up Drill Camp all over again to install strings of the new and improved neutrino detectors approximately 1.5 miles through the firn (dry snow) and deep into the ice.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying my work and time at the South Pole!”


Although I still cannot explain exactly what a neutrino is, I’m honored and humbled to be part of something so epic in the scientific community. My job as the camp electrician consists of many duties like making power cables that range from 20-100A in size, wiring drives for water heater pumps and giant cable/hose reels, installing heaters and heat trace cables so our hot water for drilling doesn’t freeze, assisting the generator technician to make sure loads are balanced and under control, and assisting other team members with a variety of tasks and troubleshooting needs – relays, circuit breakers, backup (UPS) systems, and the like.
“The days are long and busy, but quite satisfying.”
We start the day at 7:45 when the snowmobile picks us up and takes us to camp, and then we have an 8:00 meeting so everyone knows what happened on the night shift, and what we need to accomplish during the day. We break for lunch at 11:30, and then it’s back to work until 5:30 (sometimes later). When we get back to the station, the many layers of cold weather gear get peeled off and are replaced with comfy clothes like sweatpants and slippers. The galley provides dinner from 5-7, but also has leftovers and snacks for us to nosh anytime.
If you still have some energy and/or want to be social, there’s plenty to do. Some of the most popular activities include jamming out in the music room, playing volleyball or basketball in the gym, or going to the game room for darts, pool, chess, board games, or working on the community puzzle. If relaxation is on the agenda, there are movie rooms filled with hundreds of DVDs, quiet reading rooms with a plethora of books, sitting areas in the greenhouse, and the oh-so-popular sauna for warming your bones.




On New Years Day, we moved the Geographic South Pole marker to its new location, approximately 10 meters from last year’s spot due to the shifting of the ice. It was a very memorable and fun experience, especially when I walked in a big circle around the new marker and therefore can say that I stepped in every time zone on earth in less than a minute. Afterwards, two long-time “Polees” renewed their wedding vows from when they were married here 42 years ago. It was a fun day and the best New Year I’ve ever had.
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INSTRUCTORS
While Jenny is away on leave, our students are in good hands thanks to our instructor network that’s been filling in while Jenny is away. Our 2025 courses are out now! Register for in-person and online courses today!
ASK JENNY A QUESTION:
Email it to courses@midwestrenew.org we’ll post your question and Jenny’s response in her next update.
Stay tuned for more updates from Jenny on this amazing adventure to the other side of the world!
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