Joanna Young grew up spending summers at a family cabin perched on the Laurentide Icesheet-scoured granites of Ontario, Canada. Fascinated from an early age by science, she attended the University of British Columbia, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Astronomy and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy of Science. Joanna obtained both her Masters and PhD in Geophysics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and now works in University of Alaska Fairbank's International Arctic Research Center as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research examines recent Alaska glacier mass loss in a changing climate, using computational modeling and field observations, with a focus on understanding the consequences of glacier loss on downstream ecosystems and communities. She also serves as Director of the Alaska branch of Inspiring Girls Expeditions, free science, art and outdoor experiences for high school girls and gender-expansive youth.

• Joanna's activities in Sitka included;
  • The Morning Interview – Click here to listen to Joanna's interview
  • Natural History Seminar –"Alaska's shrinking glaciers: What are the downstream impacts?"- Click here to watch the Zoom recording of her presentation (Passcode: pX.WEj1J)
  • Community Hike with a Glaciologist – Led by Joanna around Thimbleberry and Heart Lake
  • Connected with Sitka High School students, leading them on outdoor excursions
  • Sitka Nature Show with Matt Goff on Raven Radio – click here to listen