The proposal

 In 1981, as a young scientist, I applied for my dream job: as a geologist with the British Antarctic Survey. As a child, I adored snow and ice. Winter was my favorite season (and still is.) My most cherished book was W. A. Bentley’s atlas of snowflake photographs, and I avidly read the accounts of Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton of their Antarctic expeditions. As a teenager, I found my way into hiking, backpacking, and camping (despite living in New York City), and by the time I finished high school I knew I wanted to study earth science in college. So, when I graduated with top honors from one of Britain’s premier universities, it did not seem a stretch to apply for a job as a geologist in a very cold and snowy place.