Professor Petra Heil, Director of Science at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), is a trained polar physicist and a globally recognized Earth-system scientist, holding several key international roles.

At BAS, Petra is responsible for directing the scientific vision and delivery of the UK’s world-leading polar research program. She is proactively steering BAS to integrate novel technologies, automation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its Antarctic and Arctic research.

Working closely with polar operations, she enhances data acquisition efficiency, real-time analysis, and predictive capabilities, embedding scientific and technological innovation for increased capacity and global citizenship.

A proven leader and strategist, Professor Heil ensures BAS’s scientific outputs are authoritative and timely, thereby securing policy impact, operational uptake, and pathways to a safe landing site for society.

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

Doddridge, E., and others (incl. P. Heil), Impacts of Antarctic Sea-Ice Extremes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Nexus, accepted (2025).

Gupta, M., Y. Koo, H. Reagan, S. Chua, X. Li, and P. Heil, The forward cascade of sea ice floes in the Weddell Sea, The Cryosphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1241-2025 (2025).

Fraser, A.D., and others (incl. P. Heil), Antarctic landfast sea ice: Physical, biogeochemical and ecological significance, Reviews of Geophysics, doi:10.1029/2022rg000770, 2023.

Heil, P., C. Stevens, W.S. Lee, C. Eayrs, H.C. Shin, S.P. Alexander, and W. Rack, Bridging the gap for ice-ocean-atmosphere-ecosystem processes: Integrated Observing System for the Ross Sea to the far East Antarctic Region, Frontiers Marine Sc., doi:10.3389/fmars.2023.1206119,  2023..

Tian, T.R., A.D. Fraser, T. Lavergne, S.L. Fiddes, C. Zhao, and P. Heil, Linking timescale-dependent Antarctic sea-ice kinematic observations to ice thickness, Remote Sensing of Environment, RSE-D-23-00456, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2023.113813, 2023.

Zhang, X, Y. Wang, S. Hou, and P. Heil, Significant cooling at West Antarctica in recent two decades, driven by tropical Pacific forcing, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0153.1, 2023.

Tian, T., A.D. Fraser, N. Kimura, C. Zhao, and P. Heil, Rectification and validation of a daily satellite-derived Antarctic sea-ice velocity product, The Cryosphere, doi:10.5194/tc-16-1299-2022, 2022.

Francis, D., K.S. Mattingly, S. Lhermitte, M. Temimi, and P. Heil, Atmospheric extremes triggered the biggest calving event in more than 50 years at the Amery Ice shelf in September 2019, The Cryosphere, doi:10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, 2021.

Alberello, A., L. Bennetts, P. Heil, C. Ayers, M. Vichi, K. MacHutchon, and A. Toffoli, Drift of pancake ice floes in the winter Antarctic marginal ice zone during polar cyclones, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2019JC015418, 2020. [4506]

Kiss, A.E., A.McC. Hogg, N. Hanna, F. Boeira Dias, G. Brassington, M.A. Chamberlain, C. Chapman, P. Dobrohotoff, C.M. Domingues, E.R. Duran, M.H. England, R. Fielder, S.M. Griffies, A. Heerdegen, P. Heil, R.M. Holmes, A. Klocker, S.J. Marsland, A.K. Morrison, J. Munroe, P.R. Oke, M. Nikurashin, G.S. Pilo, O. Richet, A. Savita, P. Spence, K.D. Stewart, M.L. Ward, F. Wu, and X. Zhang, ACCESS-OM2: A Global Ocean-Sea Ice Model at Three Resolutions, Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gmd-13-401-2020. 2020. [4506]

Ding, M., A. Agrawal, P. Heil, and D. Yang, Surface Energy Balance on the Antarctic Plateau as measured with automatic weather stations during 2014, Lei, R., D. Gui, J.K. Hutchings, P. Heil, and N. Li, Annual cycles of sea ice motion and deformation derived from buoy measurements in the western Arctic Ocean over two ice seasons, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2019JC015310, 2020. [4506]

Lei, R., D. Gui, P. Heil, J.K. Hutchings, and M. Ding, Comparison of sea ice motion and deformation, and their responses to ice conditions and cyclone activity in the western Arctic Ocean between two summers, Cold Reg. Science and Technol., doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2019.102925, 2019. [4301,4390]

Newman, L., P. Heil, R. Trebilco, and 37 others, Delivering Sustained, Coordinated and Integrated Observations of the Southern Ocean for Global Impact, Frontiers/Marine Sc., 6 (433), doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00433, 2019. [4506]

See more of Dr Heil’s publications on ORCID.

1. ANTARCTICA INSYNC

   ANTARCTICA INSYNC brings together researchers from around the world including British Antarctic Survey to study the continent and the Southern Ocean at the same time.

   Read more of: ANTARCTICA INSYNC

   

2. Tracking Antarctica’s Ice Fluctuations

   The recent extreme swings in Antarctic sea ice extent emphasise the need to increase our knowledge of the drivers and climate implications of Antarctic sea ice loss.

   Read more of: Tracking Antarctica’s Ice Fluctuations