Felicity Aston

Felicity Aston MBE is a British climate scientist, polar explorer, and record-breaker. She stands alone as the only woman to have skied across Antarctica solo and holds the title of the first person to traverse the continent solely by muscle power. With over twenty years of experience in the world's harshest environments, Felicity has led numerous pioneering expeditions. Amongst her remarkable achievements are leading the first British women's team across the Greenland icesheet and spearheading record-setting international women's ski expeditions to both the South and North Poles.

Her unwavering commitment to diversity has not only filled crucial data gaps but also revolutionised scientific understanding, proving that individual capability triumphs over stereotypes. Felicity currently leads the B.I.G. (Before It’s Gone) Expedition, a vital long-term project focused on collecting essential data for Arctic Ocean sea ice research.

Felicity's passion for the polar regions was ignited during her first Antarctic journey as a Meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey at Rothera Research Station from 2000 to 2003. This experience cemented her dedication to polar research, which now centres on studying airborne microplastic pollution on polar sea ice at the National Oceanography Centre and the University of Southampton in the UK.

Author of five exploration books, co-presenter of two BBC documentaries, and featured in top-tier outlets like National Geographic, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire, Felicity's work is widely recognised. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club. Her contributions to exploration have been honoured with an MBE and the Polar Medal (Arctic and Antarctic) by Queen Elizabeth II.

Felicity's extensive experience in leading high-performance teams in extreme conditions has earned her a stellar reputation for effective leadership and team management. Her presentations draw from her expeditions' challenges and successes, offering fresh insights on leadership, teamwork, adapting to change, resilience, and diversity.