Robyne P Chawner
Senior Communications, Australian Antarctic Division
Can you tell us about your career journey since graduating and what inspired you to take this path?
My aviation career spans more than 30 years, beginning as a pilot before transitioning to a RAAF Air Traffic Controller role in the 1990 and 2000s. Since graduating from UNSW in 2020, I have worked as aircrew with Surveillance Australia, continued aviation operations in Antarctica, and trained and mentored flight-following communication operators. I have also developed Standard Operating Procedures for Antarctic communications and, more specifically, planned and executed helicopter and field communications for the 2025 Heard Island voyage.
In addition, I have wintered in Antarctica as a Bureau of Meteorology weather observer, supporting aviation operations and contributing synoptic observations for forecast modelling. The evolution of my career has driven me to continually adapt, expand my skills, and pursue new challenges. I am currently studying Antarctic and Climate Science.
How has your science degree shaped your thinking or opened doors in your career?
My degree broadened how I plan and evaluate aviation operations, with a strong emphasis on safety, safety management systems, and aviation law and regulation. Gaining a more holistic understanding of the aviation system has strengthened my ability to manage complex and unique operations in remote environments.
Reflecting on your work today, how do you see it making a positive difference?
Supporting aviation and field operations in Antarctica supports the amazing work that the Australian Antarctic Division does to address critical issues such as climate change, the conservation of Antarctic and Southern Ocean wildlife and the sustainable management of Southern Ocean fisheries. It is a privilege to be part of a Program that is so important for all of us into the future.
What advice would you give to current science students who are unsure about where their science degree could take them?
Study what you love and take chances. Opportunities to learn and experience something new can lead you down paths that you couldn’t have imagined.
How do you stay curious and keep learning in your professional life?
I enjoy shifting my perspective and exploring different facets of my role in aviation. To challenge myself, I transitioned from communications to meteorology in Antarctica to experience a winter season. While I continued to provide essential aviation observations for operations, my focus took a new direction. I’ve now completed two winters and have loved every moment. Taking that step opened the door to a range of unique scientific opportunities, including contributing to the Sea Ice Processes and Change Project and collaborating with NASA on remote medical imaging technologies, work that was recently applied on the International Space Station to help assess and evacuate an unwell astronaut.
What change or innovation in your field are you most excited about for the future and what role do you hope to play in it?
Since beginning my aviation career with little more than a radio and a flight plan on my lap, I’ve witnessed remarkable advances in both communication and aviation technology. The shift from analogue to digital systems, the introduction of satellite GPS navigation, enhanced tracking technologies, increased automation, a deeper focus on human factors, and the development of safety management systems are just a few of the many changes that have transformed the industry. My role going forward includes assessing new technologies for communications and for real time tracking in remote areas. I’m also very excited about the development of sustainability technologies promoting low or zero emission flights. Something good for the planet.
