--- title: "Record in the selection for the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition: about half of the applications were submitted by women" description: "NASC reported record participation by women in the selection for the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition: of the 87 applications, about half were submitted by women. The names of the winners will be known by the end of 2026." date: 2026-08-25T08:28:08.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/record-female-applications-for-32nd-ukrainian-antarctic-expedition tags: [ukraine, antarctica, ukrainian-antarctic-expedition, akademik-vernadsky, women-in-science, recruitment] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Record in the selection for the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition: about half of the applications were submitted by women ![Antarctic research station and vessel in an icy harbor: context for the record selection of the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic expedition, with women submitting half the applications](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/25/rekord-zhenskih-zayavok-na-32-uyu-ukrainskuyu-antarkticheskuyu-ekspeditsiyu/rekord-zhenskih-zayavok-na-32-uyu-ukrainskuyu-antarkticheskuyu-ekspeditsiyu-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - 87 applications were received for the competition for the 32nd UAE β€” fewer than last year, but on par with the 2023–2024 levels. - For the first time, about half of the applications were submitted by women; the previous record was 36% last year. - The annual UAE includes 7–9 scientists and 5 members of the life-support team of the "Akademik Vernadsky" station. - The final selection stage and the names of the winners will be known by the end of 2026. The National Antarctic Scientific Center (NASC) reported record participation by women in the open selection for the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE). According to the center's press service, published on Facebook and reported by RBC-Ukraine, 87 applications were received in the current competition, and for the first time in the history of the open selection, about half of them were submitted by women. The previous maximum, recorded last year, was 36% female applications, so the current figure has become a new historic record for the Ukrainian polar program. ### How many applications were received and how does this compare with previous years A total of 87 applications were submitted for the competition for the 32nd UAE. NASC clarifies that this number is lower than last year, but is on par with the figures for 2023 and 2024. Thus, in absolute terms, the selection was not a record, but in terms of gender composition it shows a notable shift: the share of women has for the first time approached half of all polar candidates. The center published an infographic with a breakdown of applications by gender and by chosen profession, showing which positions the female applicants most often applied for. ### Structure of the expedition and distribution of positions According to NASC, the annual Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition traditionally includes 7–9 scientists from various research fields, as well as five members of the station's life-support team. It was precisely for these scientific and technical positions, according to the center's infographic, that the submitted applications were distributed: the most candidates applied for a number of "popular" positions, and the fewest β€” for those that the center called "traditionally" less in-demand. The specific list of positions and their rankings is presented in the NASC visual materials accompanying the competition announcement. ### What's next: selection stages until the end of 2026 After submitting applications, the male and female polar candidates await several subsequent selection stages, which the center reminded about in the same message. NASC summarized that not everyone will make it to the final stage, and the names of the winners will be known by the end of 2026. The selection is taking place against the backdrop of the work of the "Akademik Vernadsky" station, where Ukrainian polar researchers conduct scientific research and life-support operations in the conditions of Antarctica. ### Contradictory data In reports about the competition, one can encounter two different frames of assessment of the "record," which is important not to mix up. On the one hand, NASC emphasizes that women's participation has become an absolute record throughout the history of the open selection (about 50% versus 36% a year earlier). On the other hand, the same center notes that the total number of applications β€” 87 β€” is lower than last year, and only on par with the 2023–2024 levels. In other words, in terms of the number of female candidates, this is a historic maximum, while in terms of the overall volume of the selection, it is not a record but a stable average figure. Both formulations are correct, but they refer to different metrics: the share in the structure of applications and the absolute number of submitted documents. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [A record number of Ukrainian women want to work in Antarctica: which professions lead](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/pratsyuvati-antarktitsi-hoche-rekordna-kilkist-1787645323.html) - ΠŸΠ΅Ρ€Π²ΠΈΡ‡Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ источник: 87 заявок, ΠΎΠΊΠΎΠ»ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠ½Ρ‹ ΠΎΡ‚ ΠΆΠ΅Π½Ρ‰ΠΈΠ½, ΠΏΡ€Π΅Π΄Ρ‹Π΄ΡƒΡ‰ΠΈΠΉ Ρ€Π΅ΠΊΠΎΡ€Π΄ 36%, 7–9 ΡƒΡ‡Π΅Π½Ρ‹Ρ… + 5 Ρ‡Π»Π΅Π½ΠΎΠ² ТизнСобСспСчСния, Ρ„ΠΈΠ½Π°Π» Π΄ΠΎ ΠΊΠΎΠ½Ρ†Π° 2026 Π³. - [Antarctic expedition on the front line: where the "Combat Penguins" are fighting](https://kp.ua/life/a679486-antarkticheskaja-ekspeditsija-na-fronte-hde-vojujut-boevye-pinhviny) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎ источнику kp.ua - [The 26th Antarctic expedition departed for the "Akademik Vernadsky" station](https://www.unian.net/ecology/akademik-vernadskiy-na-stanciyu-otpravilas-26-ya-antarkticheskaya-ekspediciya-11364967.html) - ΠšΠΎΠ½Ρ‚Π΅ΠΊΡΡ‚Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ источник, ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°ΡŽΡ‰ΠΈΠΉ сущСствованиС станции «АкадСмик ВСрнадский» ΠΈ сСрии украинских антарктичСских экспСдиций. - [The youngest Antarctic expedition departed for the "Akademik Vernadsky" station](https://www.bagnet.org/news/tech/1306526/na-stantsiyu-akademik-vernadskiy-otpravilas-samaya-molodaya-antarkticheskaya-ekspeditsiya) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎ источнику bagnet.org ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many applications were received for the 32nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition? **A:** A total of 87 applications were received. According to NASC, this is fewer than last year, but on par with the 2023 and 2024 levels. ### Q: Why is the selection called a record for women? **A:** For the first time in the history of the open selection, about half of the applications were submitted by women. The previous record was set last year and stood at 36%. ### Q: Who makes up the annual Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition? **A:** Usually 7–9 scientists from various fields and five members of the life-support team of the "Akademik Vernadsky" station. ### Q: When will the winners of the selection be known? **A:** According to NASC, not everyone will make it to the final stage, and the names of the winners will be known by the end of 2026.