In-Young Ahn is a South Korean scientist. She is known for being the first South Korean woman to visit

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

and the first Asian woman to become an

Antarctic station Multiple governments have set up permanent research stations in Antarctica and these bases are widely distributed. Unlike the drifting ice stations set up in the Arctic, the research stations of the Antarctic are constructed either on rock or ...

leader (

King Sejong Station The King Sejong Station is a research station for the Korea Antarctic Research Program that is named after King Sejong the Great of Joseon (1397–1450). Established on February 17, 1988, it consists of 11 facility buildings and two observato ...

). She is a

benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

ecologist and is currently working as a principal research scientist for Korea Polar Research Institute.

Early life and education

Ahn graduated from

Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...

in 1982 (majoring in Biological

Oceanography Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamic ...

) and then received her PhD in Coastal Oceanography from the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...

at Stony Brook in 1990. Ahn started her research at the Korean Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) on July 1, 1991.

Career and impact

Ahn was in charge of environmental monitoring program at the King Sejong Station from 1996 to 2011, and conducted field surveys to obtain scientific data necessary for designation of the

Antarctic Specially Protected Area An Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) is an area on the continent of Antarctica, or on nearby islands, which is protected by scientists and several different international bodies. The protected areas were established in 1961 under the Antarct ...

(ASPA #171) near the Korean station. Ahn has also served as a representative and a National Contact Point of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings from 1997 through 2014, until she was designated as the overwintering officer-in-charge. Ahn served as the vice president of the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) from May 2010 to June 2012. She also served as Vice President of the Korean Society of Oceanography in 2010–2011, and Korea Federation of Women's Science & Technology Associations in 2014 and 2015. She was expedition leader of the 28th overwintering team (2015) of the South Korean King Sejong Antarctic station, where she served as the station chief for about a year. Ahn's research interests include Antarctic marine

benthic ecology The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning " ...

with special interests on benthic invertebrates and monitoring on Antarctic coastal marine ecosystems. She has studied the Antarctic clam ''

Laternula elliptica ''Laternula elliptica'' is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Laternulidae, the lantern shells. It is the largest bivalve found under the surface of the seabed in the Southern Ocean. Discovery The species was ...

'', a dominant marine

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

around Antarctic Continent. Ahn's current research includes studies on the impacts of glacier retreat on nearshore marine benthic communities around the King Sejong Station. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Science & Technology (UST), and a principal research scientist at the Korean Polar Institute (KOPRI), which forms part of Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST).

Awards and honors

The South Korean government awarded Ahn a Medal of Science & Technology Merit for outstanding accomplishment in Antarctic Research in April 2001. She was further awarded a Commendation from the

South Korean Ministry of Environment The Ministry of Environment is the South Korea branch of government charged with environmental protection. In addition to enforcing regulations and sponsoring ecological research, the Ministry manages the national parks of South Korea. Its headqu ...

in June 2008 for her contribution in the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA #171) near the King Sejong station. In 2016, she additionally received South Korea's Prime Minister's award in recognition of her achievement as the station leader at King Sejong station.

Selected works

*Ahn, In-Young, et al. "First record of massive blooming of benthic diatoms and their association with megabenthic filter feeders on the shallow seafloor of an Antarctic fjord: Does glacier melting fuel the bloom?" ''Ocean Science Journal'' 51. 2 (2016): 273–279. *HW Moon, WMRW Hussin, HC Kim, In-Young Ahn*. "The Impacts of climate change on Antarctic nearshore mega-epifaunal benthic assemblages in a glacial fjord on King George Island: Responses and implications." ''Ecological Indicators'' 57 (2015): 280–292. *Ahn, In-Young, et al. "Influence of glacial runoff on baseline metal accumulation in the Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna from King George Island." ''Marine Pollution Bulletin'' 49 (2004): 119–141. *Ahn, In-Young, et al. "Growth and seasonal energetics of the Antarctic bivalve Laternula elliptica from King George Island, Antarctica." ''Marine Ecology Progress Series'' 257(2003): 99–110. *Ahn, In-Young, et al. "Baseline heavy metal concentrations in the Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica in Maxwell Bay, King George Island, Antarctica." ''Marine Pollution Bulletin'' 32.8 (1996): 592–598. *Ahn, In-Young. "Enhanced particle flux through the biodeposition by the Antarctic suspension-feeding bivalve Laternula elliptica in Marian Cove, King George Island." ''Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology'' 171.1 (1993): 75–90.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ahn, In-Young South Korean women scientists Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Antarctic scientists 20th-century births Women earth scientists Women Antarctic scientists 20th-century South Korean scientists 21st-century South Korean scientists 21st-century earth scientists