Name

Ellie Mackay

Job

Science Communicator, Filmmaker

Role on Arctic Live

Live Field Producer

Most looking forward to...

Producing from the world's northernmost live broadcast studio! And the view - I think it's the best office in the world!

Favourite thing about the Arctic...

The colours - at this time of year the 24-hour sunlight is still fairly low in the sky and produces the richest, most beautiful shades of white, soft yellow and deep grey, and then the ice adds these dashes of brilliant blue. It's magical. And the quiet; I actually really enjoy being cut off from the rest of the world and all its modern trappings. In the Arctic you are living very much in the present, the here and now. It makes the experience very focused and intense, and memorable.

Why fieldwork is important...

It's important for science communicators to tell stories from the front line of research, to show the realities and detail of scientific work and to hear from experts in context and in real-time. Being on location allows me to bring these voices direct into the classroom from the field, to give a sense of their work in a way which you wouldn't necessarily get from a school visit or talk. I love the closeness and clarity that provides - connecting students to the experts at the very location and moment these discoveries are happening. It's a great feeling to enable that.

Marine creature I would be...

Probably an octopus - they are really cool! They are 90% muscle and can change colour and shape at a moment's notice. They are super smart and strong, very adaptable and resilient, and can be found all over the world.

And with eight arms, it would be easy to run a live broadcast studio!