Darcy Mandeno

Darcy Mandeno is in charge of drilling operations for the SWAIS2C project, on and off the ice. He leads the science drilling office at the Antarctic Research Centre at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, where he is responsible for the design, purchasing, risk analysis and maintenance of drilling equipment and bringing together the best team of drillers.

He joined the Antarctic Research Centre 15 years ago to help design ice-coring gear for the Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) project. Since then, he has spent 13 summer seasons in Antarctica, typically for long periods in the deep field, because engineers are usually part of the first group to go in and the last to leave.

As an engineer, he has been involved in all aspects of drilling operations in Antarctica, including hot-water drilling systems which are also used for the SWAIS2C project.

Even after so many seasons and long stints in the deep field, he’s drawn back to the ice because of the international nature of Antarctic research and the sense of community.

Some of the projects Darcy has been involved with include Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution Project (RICE), 2014 Whanganui Basin Drilling Project and the Lake Ohau Drilling Project (LOCH), the Ross Ice Shelf Project, and currently, alongside SWAIS2C, planning and preparation for the Antarctic Science Platform Project 1.

More about Darcy is here.