A USF research trip to Antarctica is back on now that the government shutdown has come to an end.
USF assistant professor Amelia Shevenell waited for 16 days to see if her group would make its annual trip to Antarctica.
The trip was funded by the National Science Foundation but because of the government shutdown their plans were frozen, until now.
“It was so stressful because we didn’t really know anything and we didn’t have any communications with the NSF because all of the employees were on furlough," Shevenell said. “We’re really lucky there have been other projects here at the college of marine science who had their field season canceled and that makes me sad."
Shevenell’s group got their funding back just days before they were to set sail to study ice mass loss and rising water surrounding the frozen continent. It’s research scientists say is important to the Bay area.
“That can influence flood zones, how much we’re paying for flood insurance so this is a very real concern,” said Shevenell.