When most people think of polar research, they picture snowstorms, icebergs, and hardy scientists braving sub-zero temperatures. For Dr. Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, however, the frozen expanses of Greenland, Antarctica, and northern Canada are more than a backdrop—they are a living archive of Earth’s climate history. Recently, her groundbreaking work earned her one of Canada’s highest academic honors: election as an International Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC).
“This recognition is deeply meaningful,” Dahl-Jensen reflected. “It’s not just about me—it’s about the teams I work with and the stories these ice cores tell about our planet.”
A Professor at Denmark’s Niels Bohr Institute and a Canada Excellence Research Chair at the University of Manitoba, Dahl-Jensen has spent decades decoding the planet’s frozen memories. From the towering glaciers of Greenland to the remote Müller ice cap on Axel Heiberg Island, her work has pushed the limits of what ice cores can reveal. Earlier this year, her team made headlines by drilling the deepest ice core ever in Canada—a staggering 613 meters of ancient ice, preserving sediments and trapped air bubbles that span millennia.
“It’s almost like holding history in your hands,” says Dr. Feiyue Wang of the University of Manitoba. “Dahl-Jensen’s ability to orchestrate these expeditions, often in perilous conditions, while mentoring the next generation of climate scientists, is extraordinary.”
The implications of her research extend far beyond the Arctic and Antarctic. In 2023, her team reached the bedrock beneath the North Greenland Ice Stream, confirming that ice is melting from below—a revelation that has direct consequences for predicting sea level rise globally. Just months ago, she led another historic drilling in Antarctica, retrieving ice over 1.2 million years old, offering unprecedented insights into Earth’s climate patterns over geological time.
Her work has earned international acclaim, from Denmark’s Knight of Danneborg 1st Order to the BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award. Yet, Dahl-Jensen emphasizes collaboration over accolades. Her multinational teams, often comprising scientists from a dozen countries, highlight the global nature of climate research and the shared responsibility to understand and combat climate change.
“Every ice core we extract tells a story,” she explains. “It’s about understanding how the Earth has responded to past climates so we can better predict and mitigate the changes unfolding today.”
Through her decades of exploration and discovery, Dr. Dahl-Jensen has not only advanced climate science but has inspired a broader public understanding of our planet’s delicate systems. Her induction into the Royal Society of Canada cements her place among the world’s leading climate pioneers, a reminder that even in the coldest corners of the Earth, humanity can uncover lessons vital for its future.
