Patricia Jean Langhorne (born 1955) is an

Antarctic The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...

sea ice researcher. She retired as Professor in the physics department at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

, New Zealand in 2020. She was previously head of department (2012–2015). She was New Zealand's leading sea ice physicist. For a time she led the observational component of one of New Zealand’s National Science Challenges – the Deep South.

Early life and education

Langhorne was born in 1955 in

Glasgow, Scotland Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. Her early life was spent in Torrance, near

Kirkintilloch Kirkintilloch (; sco, Kirkintulloch; gd, Cair Cheann Tulaich) is a town and former barony burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal and on the south side of Strathkelvin, about northeast of central Glasgow. ...

and she completed her schooling at

Kilsyth Kilsyth (; Scottish Gaelic ''Cill Saidhe'') is a town and civil parish in North Lanarkshire, roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in Scotland. The estimated population is 9,860. The town is famous for the Battle of Kilsyth and the relig ...

Academy. She gained a degree in Physics from the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

. From there she moved to Clare Hall at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, UK, where she completed her PhD in 1982, under the supervision of Peter Wadhams, on crystal alignment in sea ice. She then held a fellowship with

Newnham College Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sidgwick and suffragist campaigner Millicent ...

, supported by Rolls-Royce, at the

Whittle Laboratory The Whittle Laboratory has its origins in Sir Frank Whittle and a number of his original team, from Cambridge, and who in 1937 invented the jet engine. In opening the Laboratory in 1973 the aim was to develop the technology which would underpin the ...

, Cambridge. -

Career and impact

In 1985 she was invited to take part in an Antarctic experiment which brought her to New Zealand for the first time. This resulted in collaboration on examining the strength of sea ice with

Bill Robinson Bill Robinson, nicknamed Bojangles (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid African-American entertainer in the United States during the f ...

, Vernon Squire and Tim Haskell. The work was published in Nature and underpinned the use of sea ice runways for large aircraft. Since 1988 her work has focused on teaching physics and researching sea ice physical processes at the University Otago. Langhorne was Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Otago from 2012-2015. Her work has involved over 20 twenty research visits to Antarctica, mostly to the Ross Sea region. She has published extensively on the mechanical properties of sea ice under cyclic loading and its break-up by ocean waves, on the accretion and properties of

frazil ice Frazil ice is a collection of loose, randomly oriented ice crystals millimeter and sub-millimeter in size, with various shapes, e.g. elliptical disks, dendrites, needles and of an irregular nature. Frazil ice forms during the winter in open-wate ...

beneath the

McMurdo Vice-Admiral Archibald McMurdo (24 September 1812 – 11 December 1875) was a Scottish naval officer and polar explorer after whom Antarctica's McMurdo Sound, McMurdo Station, McMurdo Ice Shelf, McMurdo Dry Valleys and McMurdo–South Pole ...

fast ice, and other aspects of sea ice and ice shelves. Langhorne has been involved in the organization of international scientific associations including the

International Glaciological Society The International Glaciological Society (IGS) was founded in 1936 to provide a focus for individuals interested in glaciology, practical and scientific aspects of snow and ice. It was originally known as the "Association for the Study of Snow an ...

(IGS) and the

International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research Founded in 1935, the 'International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)'' is a worldwide, not-for-profit, global, independent members-based organisation of engineers, professionals and researchers working in fields re ...

(IAHR). Her leadership in the area was recognised with her being awarded funding to lead the field component of one of the New Zealand National Science challenges, the Deep South, seeking to determine high latitude climate impacts on New Zealand.

Honours

In 2017, Langhorne was selected as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "

150 women in 150 words Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak alb ...

", a project celebrating the contributions of women to expanding knowledge in New Zealand. In the

2019 New Year Honours The 2019 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...

, Langhorne was awarded the

New Zealand Antarctic Medal The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was created 1 September 2006, as a New Zealand royal honour to replace the British Polar Medal. History The Polar Medal was instituted in 1904 and awarded to those who had made notable contributions to the explor ...

, for services to Antarctic science.

References

External links

Pat Langhorne's webpage
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Langhorne, Pat New Zealand women scientists 1955 births Living people University of Otago faculty Scientists from Glasgow Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Alumni of Clare Hall, Cambridge New Zealand Antarctic scientists Women earth scientists 20th-century women scientists Recipients of the New Zealand Antarctic Medal