Greatest Classroom on Earth - A Students on Ice Podcast

About Greatest Classroom on Earth - A Students on Ice Podcast

Students on Ice founder and expedition leader Geoff Green in conversation with SOI alumni about how their polar youth expeditions inspired their lives and careers.

Publisher

Students on Ice Foundation

Category

science · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jan 2025

Latest episode

17 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Nov 2025

   The Sound of Nunavik: Music, Culture & Hope with Kathy Snowball Aputiarjuk

   Host Geoff Green interviews Inuk singer-songwriter Kathy Snowball Aputiarjuk about her journey from learning guitar to becoming a musical talent and educator, highlighting culture, resilience, and community leadership.

2. 

   20 Oct 2025

   Episode 10: A Polar Journey for the Planet with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco

   Host Geoff Green interviews His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, who recounts polar expeditions and describes how witnessing climate change firsthand shaped his environmental advocacy.

3. 

   15 Sept 2025

   Episode 9: Bursting the Bubble - How One Journey Sparked a Lifetime of Climate Action with Seabound's Alisha Fredriksson

   Host Geoff Green interviews Alisha Fredriksson, CEO of Seabound, who shares how a trip to Antarctica with Students on Ice inspired her to found a company focused on carbon capture for the shipping industry.

4. 

   18 Aug 2025

   Episode 8: From Antarctica to Galaxies Far, Far, Away with Irene Shivaei

   Host Geoff Green interviews astrophysicist Irene Shivaei about her journey from Tehran to the stars and the profound impact of her Antarctic expedition.

5. 

   29 Jul 2025

   Episode 7: Exploring Arctic Biodiversity with Roger Bull

   Roger Bull, Head of Operations, discusses Arctic biodiversity, his work with the Cryobank, and the importance of experiential education in an interview with Geoff Green.

6. 

   16 Jun 2025

   Episode 6: Pioneering Polar Architecture with Justin Sargenti

   Host Geoff Green interviews Justin Sargenti, a polar architecture PhD student, about his Students on Ice expedition, his research on sustainable building design in extreme environments, and the environmental impact of Antarctic research stations.

7. 

   18 May 2025

   Episode 5: Leading from the North - Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell on Youth, Mentorship, and Arctic Advocacy

   In this episode of Greatest Classroom on Earth, Students on Ice founder Geoff Green sits down with Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell, a trailblazing Inuit leader and former Member of Parliament. Senator Karetak-Lindell reflects on her journey from Arviat, Nunavut to the Senate of Canada, sharing insights on community leadership, Indigenous representation, the challenges and hopes for Inuit youth, and her participation in the 2017 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.Together, they explore her childhood growing up on the shores of Hudson's Bay, the impact of residential schools, views on the power of mentorship, and the role of traditional knowledge in shaping Inuit lives and policy. Senator Karetak-Lindell speaks candidly about the value of Inuit being heard in political spaces and the strength of cultural identity. Along with our theme song by Sarah Harmer, this episode also features music recorded on the 2017 SOI Arctic Expedition by Juno award winner Ian Tamblyn, and accompanied by two more SOI alumni, James Raffan and Andrew Bresnahan.Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell is an Inuk leader from Arviat, Nunavut. In 1997, she became the first female Member of Parliament for the Eastern Arctic, serving until 2008. She later led the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada and has held many leadership roles advocating for Inuit rights. Appointed to the Senate in 2024, she continues to champion issues such as housing, language, and northern equity. She is also a recipient of the Order of Canada.

8. 

   18 Apr 2025

   Episode 4: From the Arctic to the World - Abhay Singh Sachal's Advocacy Journey

   "I still remember the pin drop silence and hearing the ice melting; millions of drops of the purest water on the planet going into the freshest body of water that exists."In this fourth episode of Greatest Classroom on Earth, host Geoff Green sits down with Abhay Singh Sachal, who took part in the 2016 Students On Ice Arctic expedition. Now a climate activist and co-founder of Break the Divide, Abhay speaks about his journey from a student in Surrey, BC, to an award-winning environmental leader who fosters international dialogue about climate change and mental health. He emphasizes the importance of connection, emotional resilience, and intergenerational cooperation in tackling climate challenges and building sustainable communities. The episode underscores the transformative impact of Students on Ice expeditions and the ongoing efforts of its alumni to promote climate justice and community building. Abhay Singh Sachal is the co-founder of Break the Divide (https://breakthedivide.net/), a nonprofit organization that bridges gaps between youth in different communities, particularly Indigenous and non-Indigenous. His work resides at the intersection of climate change, eco-anxiety, mental health, and spirituality. He has been recognized as one of the top 25 under 25 environmentalists in Canada. Abhay is also one of ten Youth Council Advisors at Environment and Climate Change Canada. He is completing a master's degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Regina.Music featured in this episode includes our opening theme, "Lancaster Sound" by Sarah Harmer, "Spirits" by Tim Harper, and "Breathe In" by Ian Tamblyn and Shawna Dicker. The last two songs were composed and recorded on the 2016 SOI Arctic expedition.00:00 Introduction 00:47 Meet Abhay Singh Sachel03:01 Abhay's Early Life and Influences06:19 Journey to the Arctic08:45 Experiences and Reflections in the Arctic15:55 Impact of the Expedition20:52 Abhay's Continued Advocacy21:37 The Birth of Break the Divide24:34 Expanding Connections Globally26:40 Academic Pursuits and Research28:31 Addressing Eco Anxiety31:26 Building Resilient Communities35:41 Reflections and Future Goals40:53 Final Thoughts

9. 

   18 Mar 2025

   Episode 3: Bridging the North - Michael Milton's Ikaarvik Journey

   In this episode of the Greatest Classroom on Earth podcast, host Geoff Green speaks with Michael Milton, an Inuit youth advocate and who took part as a 16 year old on the Students on Ice Arctic expedition in 2012. Recorded in January of this year, Michael shares his experiences growing up in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, the impact of the Students on Ice expedition on his life, and his current work with Ikaarvik, a nonprofit focused on Inuit-led research. The conversation highlights the importance of community, perseverance, and the need for ethical research practices that respect Inuit knowledge and priorities. In this conversation, Michael Milton discusses the integration of traditional Inuit knowledge with scientific research. He emphasizes the importance of building trust and relationships in research, particularly with Inuit communities. Michael shares insights on the cultural significance of ice, the challenges faced by Inuit youth in a rapidly changing world, and the impact of climate change on their way of life. He expresses his hope for the future, including mentoring the next generation and continuing to advocate for Inuit voices in research.This podcast is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Productions (exploreproductions.ca).Our theme music is by award-winning musician Sarah Harmer, inspired by her journey on the 2015 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.Thank you to another great musician and SOI veteran, Ian Tamblyn, for sharing his field recordings of inspiring sounds from our polar regions used in our introduction.To learn more about Students on Ice and how to get involved, go to studentsonice.com and give us a follow on social media.About the show: In 1999, an idea was born. Imagine if we could bring youth, at the beginning of their lives, on educational expeditions to the Polar regions? Two cornerstones of the global ecosystem and windows to the world. And how that inspiring experience might shape their perspectives and even their futures.In December of 2000, we made our maiden ship voyage, bringing a group of youth on a journey to Antarctica! An incredible voyage in what we would later call "the Greatest Classroom on Earth." It’s hard to believe, but Students on Ice is now in its twenty-fifth year. Since that first expedition, we’ve taken more than four thousand students to both the Antarctic and the Arctic, together with teams of educators, elders, artists, researchers and leaders from over 55 countries! Our mission to connect youth to nature, culture, environmental leadership, and even to themselves has remained steady in this changing world. We now have a global network of incredible alumni doing incredible things.This podcast is part of a year-long celebration of Students on Ice. A chance to reflect on the experiences, connections, and impacts, through conversations with the people who were there getting their stories, in their own words.

10. 

    17 Feb 2025

    Episode 2: Peace, Awe, and Wonder at the Poles with Malaika Vaz

    National Geographic Explorer Malaika Vaz is Geoff Green’s guest on our second episode. Malaika took part in Antarctic and Arctic expeditions with Students on Ice as a teenager, back in 2011 and 2012. She has since gone on to do amazing things. From Goa, India, Malaika, along with being a National Geographic Explorer, is a TV presenter, and wildlife filmmaker. She is the CEO and co-founder of “Untamed Planet,” an award-winning production house focused on wildlife and environmental films. Since co-founding Untamed Planet in 2017, she and her team have been producing films and series that have reached millions of people with media networks like National Geographic, Al Jazeera, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Sky and the BBC. Her recent films have documented climate change, illegal wildlife trade, endangered species conservation, industry, migration, and the human-wildlife interface. As we recorded this episode, Malaika just found out that she had made the Forbes Magazine “Top 30 under 30” North America list of young Entrepreneurs And Innovators Who Are Making An Impact Globally. This podcast is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Productions. Our theme music is by award-winning musician Sarah Harmer, inspired by her journey on the 2015 Students on Ice Arctic expedition. Thank you to another great musician and SOI veteran, Ian Tamblyn, for sharing his field recordings of inspiring sounds from our polar regions used in our introduction. To learn more about Students on Ice and how to get involved, go to studentsonice.com and give us a follow on social media. About the show: In 1999, an idea was born. Imagine if we could bring youth, at the beginning of their lives, on educational expeditions to the Polar regions? Two cornerstones of the global ecosystem and windows to the world. And how that inspiring experience might shape their perspectives and even their futures. In December of 2000, we made our maiden ship voyage, bringing a group of youth on a journey to Antarctica! An incredible voyage in what we would later call "the Greatest Classroom on Earth." It’s hard to believe, but Students on Ice is now in its twenty-fifth year. Since that first expedition, we’ve taken more than four thousand students to both the Antarctic and the Arctic, together with teams of educators, elders, artists, researchers and leaders from over 55 countries! Our mission to connect youth to nature, culture, environmental leadership, and even to themselves has remained steady in this changing world. We now have a global network of incredible alumni doing incredible things. This podcast is part of a year-long celebration of Students on Ice. A chance to reflect on the experiences, connections, and impacts, through conversations with the people who were there getting their stories, in their own words.

11. 

    20 Jan 2025

    Episode 1: "The Compass Points South" with Explorers Club vice-president Trevor Wallace

    "I was furiously trying to figure a way to film as these snow-capped mountains emerged from the Antarctic peninsula. I didn't understand how my camera quite worked yet, and everything was completely overexposed, and I didn't even know what that word was. And I remember Alex Taylor, who is the filmmaker on board. And he just flicked the little ND filter on my camera, and it all came into frame. And I was just like, oh my god, there it is."-Trevor WallaceWelcome to our first episode of "Greatest Classroom on Earth," a celebration of twenty-five years of Students on Ice inspiring youth at the ends of the earth.In this episode, our host Geoff Green, the Students on Ice founder and expedition leader, welcomes Trevor Wallace to the podcast. Trevor took part in the 2009 Antarctic Expedition as a teenager and has gone on to do amazing things. He is an award-winning artist, explorer, archaeologist, filmmaker, and currently the Vice President for Education and Research with The Explorers Club. In 2018, Trevor received the New Explorer of the Year Award from the Explorers Club. His work has been featured in National Geographic, the New York Times and GQ. He is based in Kaua’i, Hawaii where he is working on an ongoing project protecting an ancient Hawaiian burial ground. In their conversation, Geoff and Trevor recall the awe of those first moments in Antarctica, the rocky sailing through the Drake Passage (the Drake Shake!), the many lessons and connections Trevor took away from that journey, and how he has applied that to his incredible career going forward. They also share some warm memories of two SOI legends on that 2009 expedition, polar explorer and geologist Dr. Fred Roots and polar historian and educator David Fletcher. And - they discuss the video Trevor made on that journey, which he kindly shared with us here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7zv3jLRo2M).This podcast is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Productions.Our theme music is by award-winning musician Sarah Harmer, inspired by her journey on the 2015 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.Thank you to another great musician and SOI veteran, Ian Tamblyn, for sharing his field recordings of inspiring sounds from our polar regions used in our introduction.To learn more about Students on Ice and how to get involved, go to studentsonice.com (http://studentsonice.com/) and give us a follow on social media.About the show: In 1999, an idea was born. Imagine if we could bring youth, at the beginning of their lives, on educational expeditions to the Polar regions? Two cornerstones of the global ecosystem and windows to the world. And how that inspiring experience might shape their perspectives and even their futures.In December of 2000, we made our maiden ship voyage, bringing a group of youth on a journey to Antarctica! An incredible voyage in what we would later call "the Greatest Classroom on Earth." It’s hard to believe, but Students on Ice is now in its twenty-fifth year. Since that first expedition, we’ve taken more than four thousand students to both the Antarctic and the Arctic, together with teams of educators, elders, artists, researchers and leaders from over 55 countries! Our mission to connect youth to nature, culture, environmental leadership, and even to themselves has remained steady in this changing world. We now have a global network of incredible alumni doing incredible things.This podcast is part of a year-long celebration of Students on Ice. A chance to reflect on the experiences, connections, and impacts, through conversations with the people who were there getting their stories,

12. 

    10 Jan 2025

    Welcome to the Greatest Classroom on Earth - Celebrating 25 Years of Students on Ice

    Welcome to The Greatest Classroom on Earth — the Students on Ice podcast celebrating 25 years of inspiring educational expeditions to the Polar regions hosted by SOI founder and expedition leader Geoff Green. In 1999, an idea was born. Imagine if we could bring youth to the Arctic and the Antarctic, the two cornerstones of the global ecosystem, and how that experience at the beginning of their lives might help to shape their perspectives and define their futures. Incredibly, in December of 2000, Students on Ice made our maiden voyage, bringing a group of 50 youth on a journey to Antarctica. And the rest is history! It’s hard to believe that Students on Ice is now in its twenty-fifth year! Since that first expedition, we’ve taken more than 4,000 students on expeditions, together with teams of educators, elders, artists, researchers and leaders from over 55 countries! Our mission to connect youth to nature, culture, and to themselves has remained steady in this changing world.  We now have a global network of alumni doing incredible things. The Greatest Classroom on Earth podcast is part of a year-long celebration of Students on Ice. A chance to reflect on the experiences, connections, and impacts, through conversations with the people who were there… getting their stories, in their own words. New episodes drop the 3rd Monday of every month throughout 2025. You can find ‘The Greatest Classroom on Earth’ wherever you listen to podcasts. We hope you’ll join us on this journey! To learn more about Students on Ice visit us at soifoundation.org and studentsonice.comGreatest Classroom is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Productions.

Who has been a guest on Greatest Classroom on Earth - A Students on Ice Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kathy Snowball Aputiarjuk
• His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco
• Alisha Fredriksson
• Irene Shivaei
• Roger Bull

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

65,788

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

12

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

32

Contact Greatest Classroom on Earth - A Students on Ice Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.