Meet Ulyana Horodyskyj | Scientist & Mountaineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ulyana Horodyskyj and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ulyana, how do you think about risk?
I believe that risk-taking is necessary in order to pursue and achieve goals. Risk is something constantly on my mind, too, given I am a scientist that works in the mountains and other extreme environments around the world, like the Arctic and Antarctica. There are many objective hazards like unstable weather, potential for rockfall, and even wildlife encounters (polar bears!). Working outdoors has really helped me to develop my judgment: to read the weather and terrain in order to stay safe. Lessons learned outdoors apply to everyday life, too. You stress less when it comes to work because you realize what true stress looks like when faced with life or death situations.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I knew that I wanted to do science, in some form, since a young age and had a particular interest in astronomy and space travel while growing up. I competed in science fairs at the national and international level through my teenage years, which gave me a love for experimentation/discovery and afforded me scholarships that set me on my path towards a career in science. I went to Rice University in Houston, Texas for college where I started as an astronomy major, worked two years in an observatory and volunteered at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. When I took a geology class near the end of my freshman year, I felt that it aligned more with my interest in the outdoors. Being a geology major meant that I could do science and have adventures! By the time I graduated, I had been to Belize (for a climate change/coral reef class), Hawaii (for a volcanology field camp), and the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia (also for a volcanology field camp). I had a dream to start up an adventure science school but wanted to feel qualified to do so – to be an expert in my field.

Towards this end, I moved to Colorado in 2010 to pursue a PhD in geological sciences – it was the ideal location as I could also climb mountains while pursuing my degree. I decided to study melting glaciers in the Himalayas. In 2013/14, I received a Fulbright fellowship to study abroad in Nepal and finish my research. It was a life-changing experience, working with the local Sherpa communities in the mountains and doing science at 15,000 feet on one of Nepal’s largest glaciers. As my primary field site was along a popular trekking route, I had many people interested in what I was doing out on the ice. But the year did not come without its challenges and tragedies: one of my Nepali team members was killed in the Khumbu Icefall of Everest during a tragic avalanche that took the lives of 16; and another (American) team member was seriously hurt when falling into a crevasse (a crack in the ice of a glacier) while we were climbing a remote peak in central Nepal.

After finishing my PhD, I founded Science in the Wild, an adventure citizen science initiative aimed at getting people outdoors, on expedition, and learning/doing science along the way. We’ve been to Baffin Island (in the Canadian Arctic) to study impacts of pollution on snow/ice up there; Nepal, to study the growth and deepening of glacial lakes; and Kilimanjaro to examine the condition of the summit glaciers (19k feet). That’s been on hiatus given the pandemic (we hope to restart expeditions soon!), which led to a challenging financial situation in 2020 – as well as a pivot towards more teaching and, most recently (September 2021), working as a communications specialist with the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center in Boulder, Colorado.

When I met my (now) husband, Ricardo in 2017, we came up with a project called Summits, Songs and Science to inspire and connect people around the world while promoting the joys and benefits of mountaineering, music and critical/rational thinking. To do this, we’re climbing the 7 Summits (the highest peaks on each continent), the 50 US state highpoints, and Colorado’s 100 highest peaks. We’ve faced our share of challenges on the various peaks, from dealing with bad weather to traveling in grizzly bear terrain to carrying heavy packs for long distances. During the pandemic, Ricardo, faced without work in music OR guiding, started Facebook Live music shows that helped us fundraise for our project. The pandemic has shown us the need for rational and critical thinking, which I have focused on when delivering scientific content to the public on a weekly basis.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We live in Broomfield, which is very close to Denver and Boulder – it’s an ideal location to check out the best spots in both! In Denver, I’d love to show my best friend around some of the museums: the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has great science and natural history exhibits, as well as an IMAX theater to catch a show. Wings Over the Rockies, an air and space museum showcases iconic aircraft and even an Apollo moon rock. There are great restaurants to explore in the 16th Street Mall in Denver and the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. We should definitely catch some live music during the week!

In Boulder, we’re right in the foothills of the Rockies – there’s spectacular climbing just minutes from town! A visit would warrant a climb in the Flatirons with Ricardo and me as guides, as well as a stop at the “lab on the hill”: the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a leader in climate research with an interesting interactive climate change exhibit. No visit to Colorado would be complete without a drive to Rocky Mountain National Park – as well as some hikes at altitude, enjoying the beautiful and picturesque mountains for which our state is so well-known.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Ricardo Peña. We’ve been together for 5 years, married for 3 (as of March 3, 2022). In that amount of time, I’ve seen myself grow as a person, professional and an athlete. Ricardo is a mountain guide as well as professional musician with a love and appreciation for science. I am a scientist/educator and mountaineer, with a love and appreciation for music. We complement each other really well and bring out the best in each other! He has helped me become a better version of myself and definitely deserves a shoutout!

Website: www.scienceinthewild.com

Instagram: scienceinthewild

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulyana-horodyskyj-b2a8bb3a/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBU0jcuHF1tTyBrnnsFcoBw

Image Credits
Ricardo Peña