Jane Walden

Glaciologist, Instructor Girls on Ice Switzerland

Pronouns: she/her/hers

I grew up in the rolling hills of Idaho, USA, where I was fortunate to spend a lot of time outdoors with my family. Admittedly, I wasn’t a big fan of hiking as a kid but luckily this changed as I got older! During my Bachelor’s Degree at Seattle University, I was involved in a research project on the Elwha River and had the opportunity to spend five weeks there doing fieldwork. This experience inspired me to better understand our natural world! I was also a trip leader for the Outdoor Adventure Recreation program at Seattle University and gained valuable experience in leading outdoor excursions. After completing my Bachelor’s Degree, I decided to take a gap year to be an Au Pair in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, where I was able to improve my French and begin learning German. Later, during my Master’s Degree at ETH Zürich, I took a field course in glaciology and had the opportunity to walk on a glacier for the first time. I was amazed by the immense dimensions of it, as well as the striking changes taking place due to climate change. As a Scientific Assistant in the Glaciology Division of ETH Zürich, I study how particular Swiss glaciers and their runoff will evolve in the future based on different climate projections. I am excited to be involved in Girls on Ice because I love science and the outdoors, and I look forward to sharing my passions while having some fun in the mountains. In my free time, I love to be outside – hiking, running, skiing, or biking – especially with friends!

Board member, 2022 - present

Instructor Girls* on Ice Suisse, 2021