From the vast ice sheets of Antarctica to the ice-covered depths of the Arctic Ocean, Zhao Xi has traveled across both poles, bringing remote sensing technology to glaciers and snowfields. She has devoted her personal aspirations to China's polar expedition efforts, extending her classroom all the way to the two poles of the Earth.

In the summer of 2024, Sun Yat-sen University led the maiden Arctic Ocean voyage of the "ZHONG SHAN DA XUE JI DI" icebreaker, with Zhao Xi serving as assistant to the chief scientist. Facing the complex and ever-changing sea-ice environment of the Arctic Ocean, Zhao drew on her expertise to plan routes for the icebreaker and led her team in deploying drones and collecting ice and snow parameters at an ice station. The expedition marked a major breakthrough in enhancing three-dimensional collaborative situational awareness in the polar regions and yielded valuable first-hand data from the Arctic.

Several graduate students were also on board. Amid the wind and waves, Zhao explained sea-ice dynamics to her students. At the ice station, she guided them in conducting transect observations. The classroom was thus moved to the Arctic Ocean. Peng Chuyue, a student who took part in the expedition, said, "It was through hands-on fieldwork in the Arctic that we truly understood what it means to serve the country through scientific research."

As chair of the APECS (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) China, Zhao also actively builds international exchange platforms for young researchers. For example, she has promoted the "Following Arctic/Antarctic iCE (FACE) Program", deepened practical cooperation with institutions including the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany and the Australian Antarctic Division, and actively conducted international joint expeditions aboard the "Sun Yat-sen University Polar". "Only through openness and cooperation can we better understand and protect the polar regions," Zhao said. She believes that as China's voice in international polar affairs grows stronger, it is even more important to earn respect through a humble and open approach.

2026年中国“最美教师”赵羲：把讲台延伸到地球两极

从南极的广袤冰盖到北极的冰封深海，赵羲跨越地球两极，将遥感科技镌刻在冰川雪原之上。她把个人理想熔铸于国家极地考察事业，把三尺讲台延伸到了地球两极。

2024年夏，中山大学牵头组织“中山大学极地”号北冰洋首航，赵羲担任首席科学家助理。北冰洋海冰环境复杂多变，赵羲发挥专业优势，为破冰船规划航行路线，带领团队布放无人机，在冰站进行冰雪参数采集。这次科考在极地立体协同态势感知能力提升方面取得重大突破，获取了北极地区宝贵的一手资料。

随船还有多名研究生。风浪里，赵羲为学生讲解海冰动力学；到了冰站，又指导他们完成测线观测，课堂就这样被搬到了北冰洋。参加这次科考的学生彭楚粤说：“在北极科考实战中，我们真正理解了什么是科研报国。”

作为中国极地青年科学家协会主席，赵羲还积极为青年科研人员搭建国际交流平台。例如，推动“极地追冰”国际科学计划，深化与德国阿尔弗雷德·魏格纳研究所、澳大利亚南极局等机构的务实合作，依托“中山大学极地”号积极开展国际联合科考。“只有开放合作，才能更好地认识极地、保护极地。”赵羲认为，中国在国际极地事务中的话语权日益增强，更需要以谦逊、开放的姿态赢得尊重。

文、图 |羊城晚报记者 王倩 通讯员 曹宁 李建平
译 | 郑书悦
审 | 曾敏