Minerva’s daughters sail in Arctic for science

Kateryna Peinecke is a tenured researcher at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung and works in Dr. Michael Felderhoff’s department on hydrogen storage. She recently took part in a scientific expedition to the Arctic with 10 women.

Kateryna Peinecke is a tenured researcher at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung and works in Dr. Michael Felderhoff’s group on hydrogen storage. The researcher is originally from Ukraine and has pursued her curiosity in a wide variety of places around the world. She worked in Canada for eight years in the area of fuel cells, conducted fuel cell research at Graz University of Technology, and has been at the MPI for 16 years. Now, Kateryna has undertaken a special research trip to Greenland to investigate plastic pollution in the ocean. Aboard a 22-meter yacht with an all-female crew, she sailed through the Arctic Ocean for 10 days at her own expense and worked on the non-profit research project  eXXpedition Arctic. In this Minerva’s Daughters interview, she tells us what motivates her.

What do you like about your job at the Institute?

Kateryna Peinecke: I like that my job is never boring! I work on a very challenging and important topic: hydrogen storage. In our hydrogen lab, we investigate how hydrogen can be stored safely and efficiently in metal hydrides. We are constantly trying to understand how materials absorb and release hydrogen, how we can improve their performance, and how we can make the technology more practical for real-world applications. I enjoy the combination of fundamental science and practical problem-solving. Sometimes an experiment doesn’t give you the result you expected, but that is also what makes research interesting - you have to ask why, learn from it, and try a different approach. Furthermore, I particularly enjoy the combination of research, working with colleagues from different backgrounds, and having the opportunity to communicate science to others. Talking to school students during Girls’ Day or visiting elementary school pupils is especially rewarding because I can see their curiosity and enthusiasm.

You recently took part in a private expedition to Greenland to protect the world's oceans. The expedition team was all-female. Did that make the trip special?

Kateryna: Yes, of course! We were a group of eleven women from the USA, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, and myself—bringing a wide range of skills, backgrounds, and expertise. Our goal was to tackle the problem of plastic pollution in Greenland and make our own unique contribution to addressing it. Our captain was a female from the Netherlands and brought a wealth of experience; the sailing team also included two other young women crew members from Great Britain and Ireland. Each of us played a part in achieving our goals!

What were the hardest challenges you faced on the Greenland trip?

Kateryna:

• Cold. Well, we were prepared for the cold weather conditions at sea. I had expected temperatures similar to our winter weather (i.e., +5 to +10°C), since summer temperatures in Greenland resemble our winter ones; based on my experience sailing in winter back home, I anticipated similar conditions. However, it was significantly colder: due to the icebergs and cold currents flowing from the Icefjord, the water temperature was only around +2 to +4°C. When I was on deck, I often wore five layers of clothing.
• Sleep deprivation. We had to stand night watches; during the last two days, each of us had three-night watches within a 24-hour period, which meant we only got 5.5 hours of sleep.
• Seasickness. We were prepared for that! I had seasickness wristbands with me and took medication. Other women used scopolamine patches. The best remedy: staying outdoors, looking at the horizon, and staying well-hydrated!

What were the most stunning insights you gained?

Kateryna: The most striking lesson from visiting Greenland was that remoteness does not mean isolation. Greenland has a total population of approximately 55,000 people. As the least densely populated territory in the world, most residents live along the ice-free sothwest coast. Plastic pollution travels across borders and oceans, eventually reaching places where very little plastic is produced or consumed. Seeing this firsthand changed the issue from an abstract global problem into something tangible, and showed why solutions have to address both local waste management and the global flow of plastic.

You also regularly take part at Girls’ Day and do experiments with school students. What advice would you give to young girls interested in working in a scientific institution and planning their careers?

Kateryna: My advice to young girls is: be curious, be brave, and don’t be afraid to take up space. Science needs people who ask questions, challenge existing ideas and are willing to try something new. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do at the beginning of your career. Follow the subjects that genuinely interest you, look for opportunities to gain practical experience, and don’t be discouraged if your path changes along the way.

I would also encourage girls to find people who inspire and support them—teachers, colleagues, mentors, or simply friends and family who believe in them. And remember that you don’t have to be perfect before you start. Sometimes you learn the most by taking a chance, making mistakes and trying again.