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About Homeward Bound (HB)

What is HB?

What is Homeward Bound?

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Homeward Bound is an innovative program whose mission is to build a collaborative global network of 10,000 women leaders in STEMM by 2036. It was first launched in 2016 with the largest-ever all-women expedition to Antarctica! The 6th cohort of Homeward Bound (HB6) will begin a one-year journey in March 2021. 

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Participants work to develop knowledge and skills along four different streams: science, leadership, visibility, and strategy. To date, five cohorts of women from diverse walks of life, STEMM specialisations, and stages of their career have participated in Homeward Bound. Together, they are striving to increase the influence of underrepresented genders in STEMM and advocate for sustainable policies and practices that will create a positive impact on our environment and communities.

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Learn more about Homeward Bound's 10-year strategy and goals here.

The HB Program

What does the program look like?

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The Homeward Bound program, led by a team of expert faculty and staff, comprises both virtual and in-person training culminating in a sea voyage to Antarctica. The virtual training runs for 11 months and consists of masterclasses, workshops, coaching, and other online tools that allow participants to learn more about gender inequities, delve into collaborations, and explore and develop their own unique brand of leadership.

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Following this, participants spend about one month engaging in in-person training in Ushuaia, Argentina and on-board the ship to Antarctica. Against this stunning landscape, the team has the chance to form strong bonds and explore their paths forward as individuals and as a community. Although the formal program ends after one year, Homeward Bound alumnae continue to collaborate and execute strategies for advancing their shared vision of a more equitable and sustainable future.

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Read more about the program's key elements here.     

Frozen Landscape
Why Antarctica?

Why are we travelling to Antarctica?

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The word 'Antarctica' calls to mind a variety of things: the cold, a sense of isolation, mystery, surreal landscapes, and of course, penguins. With respect to environmental science, however, Antarctica is far from isolated—it is one of the most vulnerable regions on the planet, exhibiting a rapid response to climate change. By visiting this region, Homeward Bound participants gain first-hand experience of the impacts of human-induced climate change and an invaluable opportunity to be inspired and mobilise for sustainable action.   

HB in the Media

Homeward Bound in the Media

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Check out some of these sources for more insight into the Homeward Bound experience:

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  • Time Magazine - Breaking the Ice Ceiling: The Women Working in Antarctica Today [article]

  • Careers with STEM - Homeward Bound; finding gender equality in Antarctica [article]

  • CBC - Leadership program in Antarctica a life-changing experience, says Laurentian University professor [article]

  • Climate One - Empowering Women - The Climate Solution We Don't Talk About [article + podcast]

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And more here!

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