Elizabeth Leane is Professor of Antarctic Studies, within the School of Humanities, College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania. With degrees in physics and literary studies, she began her academic life working on topics related to science communication. Since moving to the polar ‘gateway’ of Hobart, she has been investigating the stories we tell about Antarctica, how they inform our ideas and attitudes toward the continent, and how they can enable new ways of thinking about our relationship to place and environment.

Her recent work focusses on polar travel and tourism cultures, national Antarctic imaginaries, and ‘gateway’ cities. She is Arts and Literature editor of The Polar Journal and co-chair of the Standing Committee on Humanities and Social Sciences within the international Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. She has visited Antarctic four times as a writer, researcher and teacher, travelling with the Australian, New Zealand and Chilean programs as well as a tourist operator.

She is currently leading the ARC-funded projects ‘Transforming Tourists’ Antarctic Experience’ and ‘Creative Antarctica: Australian Artists and Writers in the Far South.