Linda Capper

Head of Communications

Linda Capper

Contact

Linda Capper

Biography

Linda leads the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Communications team.  She is responsible for designing and delivering strategic communications and engagement campaigns for BAS and for high-profile collaborative programmes including the new polar research ship for Britain, and EU-PolarNet.

Her early career at BAS included a publishing role with the international multidisciplinary scientific journal Antarctic Science.

In 1992 she established the first proactive Press operation within the BAS Information Office and subsequently developed an integrated Press, Public Relations and Education function at BAS to deliver corporate and Government aspirations for public engagement in science. She was instrumental in establishing a formal Antarctic media visits programme and managed many of those visits on location.

Her leadership roles include serving on the BAS Executive Team and the BAS Management Team.

She is a founder member of STEMPRA (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine Public Relations Association), a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and former co-ordinator of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP’s) Outreach Network.

The work of Linda’s team has gained recognition for excellence within the PR and Education industries.  The team has achieved several nominations and awards including a BAFTA and a Geography Association award for innovative education projects; as well as PR industry awards from the CIPR & CorpComms.  Linda was awarded an MBE for services to science in 2003.

Research interests

  • Strategic communications and leadership
  • Science communication
  • Public engagement in research
  • Corporate Communications

Collaborations

  • 2015- present – Communications and Engagement lead for the new polar research ship for Britain – RRS Sir David Attenborough
  • May 2015 –EU-PolarNet initiative – Connecting Science with Society – Horizon 2020 project. www.eu-polarnet.eu.   Task-leader within Work Package 4 of this 5-year project, developing a suite of communications and engagement tasks.
  • June 2015 – Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) Inter-sessional Contact Group. Established June 2015.
  • 2011-12. IPY 2012 Conference “From Knowledge to Action”. Programme Chair, Public Engagement
  • 2007-11. International Polar Year (IPY) Communications and Outreach Steering Groups (UK, European and International)
  • 2007-11. Co-ordinator/Chair INFONET/COMNAP expert group on Education and Outreach

1992- present
Press releases, science briefings and internal reports

too many to list
2014
UK Science in Antarctica: 2014-2020.  Policy paper

From: Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. First published:16 July 2014

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-science-in-antarctica-2014-to-2020
2013
Making an Impact – communications, public engagement and outreach. Section within ‘ A story of Antarctic Co-Operation: 25 Years of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes’ by Gillian Wratt.

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2018

Xavier, Jose C., Mateev, Dragomir, Capper, Linda, Wilmotte, Annick, Walton, David W.H.. (2018) Education and outreach by the Antarctic Treaty Parties, Observers and Experts under the framework of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. Polar Record. 10.1017/S003224741800044X

(2018) The State of the Polar Oceans 2018.

Meredith, Michael, Sundfjord, Arild, Henson, Stephanie, Meijers, Andrew, Murphy, Eugene, Bellerby, Richard, Daase, Malin, Cottier, Finlo, Belchier, Mark, Chierici, Melissa, Ellingsen, Ingrid, Falk-Petersen, Stig, Hill, Simeon, Holland, Paul, Tarling, Geraint, Trathan, Phil, Turner, John, Wilkinson, Jeremy, Batchellier, Layla, Capper, Linda, Oliver, Jamie. (2018) The state of the polar oceans 2018: making sense of our changing world. Cambridge, British Antarctic Survey, 14 pp.

2011

Mowlem, M., Tsaloglou, M-N., Waugh, E., Floquet, C.F.A., Saw, K., Fowler, L., Brown, R., Pearce, D., Wyatt, J., Beaton, A.D., Brito, M.P., Hodgson, D., Griffiths, G., Bentley, M., Blake, D., Campbell, H., Capper, L., Clarke, R., Cockell, C., Corr, H., Harris, W., Hill, C., Hindmarsh, R., King, E., Lamb, H., Maher, B., Makinson, K., Parnell, J., Priscu, J., Rivera, A., Ross, N., Siegert, M.J., Smith, A., Tait, A., Tranter, M., Wadham, J., Whalley, B., Woodward, J.. (2011) Probe technology for the direct measurement and sampling of Ellsworth Subglacial Lake. In: Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, Washington, American Geophysical Union, 246 pp. (AGU Geophysical Monograph, ).

Ross, N., Siegert, M.J., Rivera, A., Bentley, M.J., Blake, David, Capper, Linda, Clarke, Rachel, Cockell, C.S., Corr, Hugh, Harris, W., Hill, Christopher, Hindmarsh, Richard, Hodgson, Dominic, King, Edward, Lamb, H., Maher, B., Makinson, Keith, Mowlem, M., Parnell, J., Pearce, David, Priscu, J., Smith, Andy, Tait, Andrew, Tranter, M., Wadham, J.L., Whalley, W.B., Woodward, J.. (2011) Ellsworth Subglacial Lake, West Antarctica: A review of its history and recent field campaigns. In: Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, American Geophysical Union, 221-233.

International leadership

2011-2012  IPY 2012 Programme Chair – Public Engagement: Conference: From Knowledge to Action

2007-2011  Coordinator/Chair of INFONET, Outreach Expert Group, COMNAP (Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes)

2005-2009  International Polar Year Outreach Steering Groups (International, European and UK)

Antarctic projects

1997-2001  Campaign to promote the joint commission by BAS and the Philharmonia Orchestra of a new Antarctic Symphony by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

1997-98      BBC News & Current Affairs media visit to Rothera Research Station

1998-99      ITV News media visit to Halley Research Station

2003-04     Guardian newspaper media visit to Rothera Research Station

2004-05     Documentary filming (Windfall Films) for BBC Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

2004-05     Sky News media visit to Rothera Research Station

2005-06    BBC News visit to Rothera Research Stations

2006-07    ITV News live from Antarctica – Rothera Research Station; featured Royal visit to the station by HRH the Princess Royal

2007-08    ITV News The big Melt special  – live reports from Rothera Research Station

2009-10    BBC Frozen Planet – documentary filming at Rothera Research Station

Awards and nominations for Public Relations

2002    CIPR Cream Award – Silver for Best In-house PR Department
2003    PRWeek Award Finalist for Best Public Sector Dept of the Year
2006    CorpComms Winner for Best Public Sector Award for ‘Discover Antarctica’ public engagement campaign; event (Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, Edinburgh 2006)
2007    CorpComms Winner for Best use of Broadcast(for ITV News Antarctic visit – the Big Melt)
2007    CIPR Excellence Awards Finalist in Broadcast Category (for ITV News Antarctic visit – the Big Melt)

Awards and nominations for Education

2002    BAFTA Winner for Offline Educational Resource Antarctic Waves

2006    Scottish Association of Geography Teachers award for DiscoveringAntarctica online educational resource
2006    The Geographical Association award for DiscoveringAntarctica online educational resource
2007    Childrens BAFTA nomination for Secondary Education
2007     International Webby Award nomination for Education