Widening participation in Polar Sciences from a grass roots level: evaluating two UK Polar outreach events

The polar regions are crucial parts of the global climate system and yet are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic stresses and climate change. Polar scientists study a wide range of disciplines across the physical, biological and sociological systems to undertake policy and societally beneficial research. Part of this endeavour includes educating the public and inspiring the next generation of polar scientists. Currently, polar sciences lack diversity, especially in comparison to some other geoscience disciplines. Improving the diversity of the scientific body will benefit both science and society by ensuring that the best and brightest minds are able to tackle some of society’ s most sig- nificant grand challenges. Here, we highlight barriers to increasing diversity in polar sciences in the context of pre-career and early-career scientists and reflect on the successes and challenges of two recent UK-based events on ‘Exploring Polar Environments’ which aimed to engage secondary school students from disadvantaged areas in polar science and expose them to possibilities for university education in their local region. 1. Polar science and outreach opportunities The polar (Arctic and Antarctic) regions play an integral part in regulating the world’ s climate, yet are highly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming (IASC 2024). The impacts of climate change span physical, biological and social repercussions, including increases in the prevalence of extreme events, depleting sea and land ice, melting permafrost, Arctic greening, greenhouse gas emissions, sinking roads and infrastructure, and changes within fishing and shipping polices (IPCC, 2023). There is a growing interest to understand, monitor, protect and capitalise (such as through tourism and fisheries, e.g. Jørgensen and others, 2020; Shijin and others, 2020; Hanaček and others, 2022; Stoeckl and others, 2024) the polar regions (Haward and Jackson, 2023; IASC 2024; European Parliament News, 2025; UK Defence Research Briefing, 2026). In order to protect, restore and sustainably develop these areas, an educated public and work force is required, with scientists, policymakers, journalists, agriculturists, busine