Greatest Classroom on Earth - A Students on Ice Podcast

In this episode of 'The Greatest Classroom on Earth,' host Geoff Green, founder of Students on Ice, talks with Justin Sargenti, an alum of the 2015 Arctic Expedition and a PhD student in architecture, with a focus on polar and extreme environments. 

Geoff and Justin talk about that SOI journey to Greenland and the Northwest Passage and how it inspired Justin to focus his architecture studies on developing eco-friendly buildings in hostile environments. Their discussion covers how Justin earned a spot on that 2015 expedition after winning a photo contest in Monaco sponsored by Prince A...

In this episode of Greatest Classroom on Earth, Students on Ice founder Geoff Green sits down with Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell, a trailblazing Inuit leader and former Member of Parliament. Senator Karetak-Lindell reflects on her journey from Arviat, Nunavut to the Senate of Canada, sharing insights on community leadership, Indigenous representation, the challenges and hopes for Inuit youth, and her participation in the 2017 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.

Together, they explore her childhood growing up on the shores of Hudson's Bay, the impact of residential schools, views on the power of mentorship, and the role of t...

"I still remember the pin drop silence and hearing the ice melting; millions of drops of the purest water on the planet going into the freshest body of water that exists."

In this fourth episode of Greatest Classroom on Earth, host Geoff Green sits down with Abhay Singh Sachal, who took part in the 2016 Students On Ice Arctic expedition. Now a climate activist and co-founder of Break the Divide, Abhay speaks about his journey from a student in Surrey, BC, to an award-winning environmental leader who fosters international dialogue about climate change and mental...

In this episode of the Greatest Classroom on Earth podcast, host Geoff Green speaks with Michael Milton, an Inuit youth advocate and who took part as a 16 year old on the Students on Ice Arctic expedition in 2012. Recorded in January of this year, Michael shares his experiences growing up in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, the impact of the Students on Ice expedition on his life, and his current work with Ikaarvik, a nonprofit focused on Inuit-led research. The conversation highlights the importance of community, perseverance, and the need for ethical research practices that respect Inuit knowledge and priorities. In this...

National Geographic Explorer Malaika Vaz is Geoff Green’s guest on our second episode.

Malaika took part in Antarctic and Arctic expeditions with Students on Ice as a teenager, back in 2011 and 2012. She has since gone on to do amazing things. From Goa, India, Malaika, along with being a National Geographic Explorer, is a TV presenter, and wildlife filmmaker. She is the CEO and co-founder of “Untamed Planet,” an award-winning production house focused on wildlife and environmental films. Since co-founding Untamed Planet in 2017, she and her team have been producing films and series that have reached millions of peopl...

"I was furiously trying to figure a way to film as these snow-capped mountains emerged from the Antarctic peninsula. I didn't understand how my camera quite worked yet, and everything was completely overexposed, and I didn't even know what that word was. And I remember Alex Taylor, who is the filmmaker on board. And he just flicked the little ND filter on my camera, and it all came into frame. And I was just like, oh my god, there it is."

-Trevor Wallace

Welcome to our first episode of "Greatest Classroom on...

Welcome to The Greatest Classroom on Earth — the Students on Ice podcast celebrating 25 years of inspiring educational expeditions to the Polar regions hosted by SOI founder and expedition leader Geoff Green.

In 1999, an idea was born. Imagine if we could bring youth to the Arctic and the Antarctic, the two cornerstones of the global ecosystem, and how that experience at the beginning of their lives might help to shape their perspectives and define their futures.

Incredibly, in December of 2000, Students on Ice made our maiden voyage, bringing a group of 50 youth on a journey to An...