Lessons from the ice: what it means to be a scientist in 2026

A journey from Uganda’s vanishing tropical glaciers to Antarctica’s frozen heart, exploring bold science, resilience, and the urgent responsibility of scientists today to engage, communicate, and inspire collective climate action.

About the speaker

Dr Heïdi Sevestre is an internationally renowned glaciologist, a leading voice in climate advocacy, and a member of The Explorers Club (she is part of the Explorers Club 50 (EC50), Class of 2026, “fifty people changing the world”).

Widely recognized for her extensive outreach efforts, Heïdi is often described as a scientist who engages in "all-terrain outreach," sharing her knowledge across media platforms, the field, in books, and in documentaries.

Regularly leading scientific expeditions to polar and high mountain regions, Heïdi strives to make scientific knowledge more accessible and to inspire action against the climate crisis. She is the author of Climate Sentinel (HarperCollins France) and Tomorrow is Us (Editions du Faubourg), and features in the National Geographic series Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold on Nat Geo / Disney+ (2024).

Heïdi is the first woman to have completed this traverse of Antarctica from Thorshammer to Hercules Inlet, via the Pole of Inaccessibility and the south pole, collecting data along the way to better understand how Antarctica responds to climate change.

Booking information

Monday night lectures are open to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership.

Attending in-person

• All Fellows and Members wanting to attend in person must pre-book a free ticket. You will receive an e-ticket with a QR code that will be scanned on arrival. Your ticket can be shown on a mobile phone or printed. If you do not have a smartphone, we can find your name on the door list instead.
• Doors open at 5.30pm. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road. The lecture will begin at 6.30pm.
• Monday night lectures are held in person in the Ondaatje Theatre. The bar will be open in the Map Room before and after the lecture. Please be advised all payments are card only.
• The Ondaatje Theatre is fitted with a hearing loop. For the best quality sound we recommend sitting on the outside rows of the front seating section.
• There is step free access to the theatre. Wheelchair spaces can be booked in advance. If you have any questions about the venue, please contact events@rgs.org

Watch online

• You do not need to pre-book to watch the lecture online.
• All Monday night lectures are livestreamed via our website so you can watch them from wherever you are.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org

Accessibility at our events

We want everyone to feel welcome at our events. Key accessibility features of this event include:

• Step-free access to the event
• Accessible toilets
• Assistance dogs are welcome
• Hearing loop

For full details, please visit our accessibility page. If you have any questions or specific access requirements, feel free to get in touch with us on access@rgs.org

About Monday night lectures

Our Monday night lectures are exclusive to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership. Members can book to attend the lectures in-person at the Society, or enjoy them live from the comfort of your own home.

These lectures are also recorded and uploaded to our website solely for members to catch up on whenever they like. If you would like to receive a weekly reminder email about the upcoming Monday night lecture, please sign up to our Updates about our Monday night lectures newsletter.