{{short description|British adventurer/climate scientist}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Felicity Aston | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE|FRGS}} | image = Felicity Aston portrait.JPG | image_size = 250px | birth_place = [[Kent]], [[England]] | fields = Climatology | workplaces = | education = | alma_mater = [[University College London]] (BSc) [[University of Reading]] (MSc) | awards = [[Order of the British Empire|Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (2015)<br/>[[Polar medal]] (2015) | website = {{URL|felicityaston.co.uk/}} }}
'''Felicity Ann Dawn Aston''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE|FRGS}} is a British explorer, author and climate scientist. In 2012, she became the first person to ski alone across the Antarctic landmass using only her own muscle power and the first woman to complete a solo crossing.
Her work combines long-distance polar travel with environmental research. Since her Antarctic crossing, she has led international and all-female expeditions across Antarctica, Greenland and the High Arctic. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire and awarded the Polar Medal for services to polar exploration.
== Early life and career == Originally from Kent,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/23/felicity-aston-ski-solo-antarctica|title=Briton Felicity Aston becomes first to manually ski solo across Antarctica|last=Booth|first=Robert|date=23 January 2012|website=The Guardian|access-date=12 May 2016}}</ref> Aston went to [[Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls]] and was educated at [[University College London]] (BSc) and [[Reading University]] (MSc in applied [[meteorology]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/expeditions/an-intrepid-look-at-winter-with-climate-scientist-and-adventurer-felicity-aston/|title=An Intrepid Look at Winter with Climate Scientist and Adventurer Felicity Aston|last=SoapboxScience|first=Alex Jackson and|website=Scientific American Blog Network|access-date=12 May 2016}}</ref>
Between 2000 and 2003, Aston was the senior meteorologist at [[Rothera Research Station]] located on [[Adelaide Island]] off the [[Antarctic Peninsula]] operated by the [[British Antarctic Survey]], monitoring climate and ozone.
As was usual at the time for British Antarctic Survey staff, she spent three summers and two winters continuously at the station without leaving the Antarctic.
== Exploration == [[File:Felicity Aston in Antarctica.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|Aston in Antarctica]] In 2005, Aston joined a race across [[Northern Canada|Arctic Canada]] to the 1996 position of the [[North Magnetic Pole]], known as the [[Polar Challenge]]. She was part of the first all-female team to complete this race; they came in 6th place out of 16 teams.<ref name="spellboundtalks">{{cite web |url=http://www.spellboundtalks.co.uk/speakeraston.htm |title=Felicity Aston Antarctic Scientist and Polar Explorer |publisher=Spellbound Talks |date=29 December 2009 |access-date=28 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115158/http://www.spellboundtalks.co.uk/speakeraston.htm |archive-date=13 February 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2006, Aston led the first all-female British expedition across the [[Greenland]] ice sheet.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Arctic Circle |work=[[BBC Radio 4]] |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage/index_20060617.shtml |access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref>
In 2009, she organised and led the [[Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition]], in which seven women from six [[List of members of the Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth member countries]] [[skiing|skied]] to the [[South Pole]] in 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sept femmes arrivent au Pôle Sud après un trek de 900 km |language=fr |trans-title=Seven women arrive at South Pole after trek of 900 km |date=31 December 2009 |work=[[Nouvel Observateur]] |url=http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/international/20091231.FAP0398/sept_femmes_arrivent_au_pole_sud_apres_un_trek_de_900_k.html |access-date=28 January 2012}}{{Dead link |date=January 2022|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Women complete 562-mile ski journey to South Pole |first=Kelly |last=Burgess |date=13 December 2009 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/12/women-complete-562mile-ski-journey-to-south-pole.html |access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref>
''Call of the White: Taking the world to the South Pole'' is her account of this expedition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aston |first=Felicity |title=Call of the white : taking the world to the South Pole : eight women, one unique expedition |date=2011 |publisher=Summersdale Publishers Ltd |isbn=978-1-84839-463-6 |location=Chichester |oclc=808343782}}</ref> It was published by [[Summersdale Publishers|Summersdale]] in 2011 and was a finalist in the [[Banff Mountain Book Festival|Banff Mountain Book Competition]] in that year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=2011 BANFF MOUNTAIN BOOK COMPETITION -FINALISTS |url=http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival/competitions/book |access-date=13 August 2021 |website=Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival}}</ref>
In 2012, she became the first person to ski alone across the [[Antarctic]] land-mass using only personal muscle power, as well as the first woman to cross the Antarctic land-mass alone.<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Warren |title=First woman to cross Antarctica solo sets two records |date=2012-01-23 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/skier-felicity-aston-sets-antarctic-record-becomes-first-woman-to-cross-continent-alone/article2311401/ |access-date=28 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127073759/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/skier-felicity-aston-sets-antarctic-record-becomes-first-woman-to-cross-continent-alone/article2311401/ |archive-date=2012-01-27}}</ref><!-- these two citations are dead URLs --><ref>{{Cite web|title=First female to ski solo across Antarctica|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/101115-first-female-to-ski-solo-across-antarctica|access-date=2021-08-13|website=Guinness World Records|date=23 January 2012 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Her journey began on 25 November 2011, at the [[Leverett Glacier]], and continued for 59 days and a distance of 1,084 miles (1,744 kilometres).<ref name=ESPN>{{cite news |title=British adventurer Felicity Aston caps first ski crossing of Antarctica by woman |date=2012-01-23 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[ESPN]] |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/crosscountry/story/_/id/7492378/british-adventurer-felicity-aston-caps-first-ski-crossing-antarctica-woman |access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref> She had two supply drops.<ref name=ESPN/> She said, "The fact that I had crossed Antarctica, despite the tears and the fear and the alone-ness, deepened my belief that we are each far more capable than we give ourselves credit for. Our bodies are stronger and our minds more resilient than we could ever imagine."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frostrup |first=Mariella |title=Wild women and their Amazing Adventures over Land, Sea and Air |chapter=Alone in Antartica |page=92 |year=2019 |publisher=Anima |location=London |isbn=978-1-78854-000-1 |oclc=1193412895}}</ref>
In 2018 she led an all-women EuroArabian expedition to the North Pole, the team included the mountaineer [[Asma Al Thani]], who became the first Qatari person to ski there.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2018-04-29|title=Sheikha Asma al-Thani becomes first Qatari to ski to North Pole|url=https://gulf-times.com/story/590826|access-date=2022-01-06|website=Gulf-Times|language=ar}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The expedition contributed to the study of human psychology under extreme conditions.<ref name="WINGS">{{cite web |title=Expedition: The B.I.G - Before It's Gone - North Pole Expedition (Iceland) |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/529fa75be4b0aa09f5b7c01f/t/6495b2c2554fa255254af959/1687532226880/Aston%2CFelicity23_FlagReport+.pdf |website=WINGS WORLDQUEST}}</ref>
Aston has also walked across the ice of [[Lake Baikal]], the world's deepest and oldest lake, and completed the [[Marathon des Sables]].<ref name="spellboundtalks" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Lab |first=Adventure |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/blog/outdoor-adventure/expedition-watch-felicity-astons-polar-quest.html |title=Expedition Watch: Felicity Aston's Solo Crossing of Antarctica |publisher=The Outside Blog |date=13 December 2011 |access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref>
Between 2020 and 2024 Aston led the B.I.G (Before It's Gone) expedition, an all-female expedition project to research Arctic sea ice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@NatGeoUK |date=2020-07-02 |title=Why we travel: Felicity Aston on the power of polar regions to teach vital conservation lessons |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2020/07/why-we-travel-felicity-aston-on-the-power-of-polar-regions-to-teach-vital |access-date=2021-08-13 |website=National Geographic |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The B.I.G North Pole 2022 Expedition: In Conversation With Felicity Aston, MBE |url=https://whitefeatherfoundation.com/news/the-b-i-g-north-pole-expedition-in-conversation-with-felicity-aston-mbe/ |access-date=2021-08-13 |website=whitefeatherfoundation.com |date=24 June 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> The four-year project involved ski expeditions to [[Drangajökull]], the northernmost glacier in [[Iceland]], Svalbard and Nunavut in Canada. In each location her team completed a ski traverse and collected surface snow and ice samples, to be analyzed for the presence of [[microplastics]], [[black carbon]] and [[heavy metals]].
== Positions and awards == She is an official ambassador for both the [[British Antarctic Monument Trust]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.antarctic-monument.org/index.php?page=ambassadors|title=British Antarctic Monument Trust – Ambassadors|publisher=antarctic-monument.org|access-date=11 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505044146/http://www.antarctic-monument.org/index.php?page=ambassadors|archive-date=5 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Equaladventure charity,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.equaladventure.org/|title=Equal Adventure|website=|access-date=10 May 2016}}</ref> and was awarded an honorary doctorate by [[Canterbury Christ Church University]] for her exploration achievements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news-centre/press-releases/2016/first-woman-to-ski-across-antarctica-alone-awarded-honorary-doctorate.aspx|title=First woman to ski across Antarctica alone awarded Honorary Doctorate|website=canterbury.ac.uk|access-date=12 May 2016|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513091456/http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news-centre/press-releases/2016/first-woman-to-ski-across-antarctica-alone-awarded-honorary-doctorate.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> She is a [[Royal Geographical Society|Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society]] and [[The Explorers Club]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Felicity Aston MBE – Keynote Speaker|url=https://londonspeakerbureau.com/speaker-profile/felicity-aston-mbe/|access-date=2021-08-13|website=London Speaker Bureau|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2016 she co-presented a television history programme series about the 1898 [[Klondike Gold Rush|Klondyke Gold Rush]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-29|title=Felicity Aston|url=https://proustnaturequestionnaire.com/felicity-aston/|access-date=2021-08-13|website=The Proust Nature Questionnaire|language=en-US}}</ref> Her photo-portrait by [[Anita Corbin]] was one of the ''100 First Women'' Portraits at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, [[Exeter]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Q&A with Felicity Aston MBE, British polar explorer|url=https://www.vasw.org.uk/whats-on/q-a-with-felicity-aston-mbe-british-polar-explorer|access-date=2021-08-13|website=VASW|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Aston was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/aston-in-new-years-honours-29385/|title=Antarctic explorer honoured by Queen|work=[[Kent Online]]|access-date=2017-09-29|language=en-GB}}</ref> and awarded the [[Polar Medal]] in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to polar exploration.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61092|supp=y|page=N16|date=31 December 2014}}</ref><ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf 2015 New Year Honours List] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102104907/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf |date=2 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Felicity Aston appointed MBE and awarded Polar Medal|url=https://www.antarctic-monument.org/news/2014/dec/31/felicity-aston-appointed-mbe-and-awarded-polar-medal|access-date=12 May 2016|publisher=antarctic-monument.org}}</ref>
== Personal life == She lives in Iceland and farms eiderdown from wild eider ducks on an island in the Arctic [[Westfjords]], is married and has a son.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aston|first=Felicity|title=A new life in Iceland farming nature's warmest material - Geographical Magazine|url=https://geographical.co.uk/people/explorers/item/3996-how-polar-explorer-felicity-aston-moved-to-iceland-to-farm-eider-down|access-date=2021-08-13|website=geographical.co.uk|language=en-gb|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614062825/https://geographical.co.uk/people/explorers/item/3996-how-polar-explorer-felicity-aston-moved-to-iceland-to-farm-eider-down|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|35em}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aston, Felicity}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1977 births]] [[Category:21st-century English scientists]] [[Category:21st-century British earth scientists]] [[Category:21st-century English women scientists]] [[Category:21st-century British explorers]] [[Category:English explorers]] [[Category:British climatologists]] [[Category:Women climatologists]] [[Category:British expatriates in Iceland]] [[Category:British Antarctic Survey]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Female recipients of the Polar Medal]] [[Category:Female polar explorers]] [[Category:British women explorers]] [[Category:British explorers of Antarctica]] [[Category:British Antarctic scientists]] [[Category:British women earth scientists]] [[Category:Women Antarctic scientists]] [[Category:People from Birchington-on-Sea]] [[Category:Alumni of University College London]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Reading]]