Polar explorer is a title for proud and tough conquerors of ice, tundra and other inhospitable spaces. Many months or even years of isolation, hardship, difficult work and the constant need to solve complex problems are just a small part of the conditions in which icebreaker and Arctic gas tanker crews, oil rig workers, weather station staff and scientists on ice floes work in the Arctic. The aura of 'masculinity' surrounding polar professions in public perception has created a stereotype that only men are suitable for this work.

However, common assumptions are not always justified. During the Arctic Floating University-2024 (AFU) scientific expedition, researchers found that women showed greater resilience to harsh Arctic conditions. The study involved 40 expedition members aged 19 to 56. They underwent psychological testing, had regular biological fluid samples tested for hormone, vitamin and catecholamine levels (produced in response to stress), and had their heart activity measured. In the end, scientists found that by the voyage's conclusion, the female team members showed better adaptation rates than the males—the male polar explorers began to show signs of strain. At the same time, women's situational anxiety scores were significantly higher than men's at each stage of the voyage.

Statistics show that women, on average, suffer less from the physical effects of acute and chronic stress. According to the authors of the article 'Sex and Gender Aspects of Stress Tolerance', this is particularly evident in populations exposed to increased pressure from adverse physical and psychological stressors. In such conditions, a disproportionate ratio of female to male population emerges, and this is not only due to social roles. For example, men are more susceptible to stress-related heart attacks and strokes, and a significant body of research suggests that the digestive system is more vulnerable to the damaging effects of psychological stress factors. At the same time, in studies of elite athletes (article 'The Influence of Sexual Dimorphism and Strenuous Physical Work on Athletes' Neurodynamic Properties'), they show higher speed of visual-motor reactions according to the main characteristics of nervous process functional mobility. In strength sports, men will be on average larger than women and able to lift heavier weights. Of course, we're talking about statistics—individual variability is quite high, so in the 'wild', you can find both super strong, fast women and calm, stress-resistant men.

Social stereotypes are another matter. Over the 20th century, the image of the male polar explorer was formed, and women in this role are still perceived with some surprise. However, today women are found in the vast majority of professions above the Arctic Circle. As an example, we can cite Natalya Morozova, Head of the Marine Hydrometeorological Station named after E.K. Fedorov on Vaygach Island. For many years she has lived within a small team in isolation from the mainland, conducting scientific work and chasing polar bears away from residential buildings. In her opinion, working in the North requires a special character and personality—if a person is suited to the job's specifics, it becomes a calling. Natalia Morozova's family was initially surprised by their daughter's professional choice, as were those around her. But judging by her statements, she herself does not consider the female role of a professional in the North to be exceptional.

In this, Natalia Morozova is remarkably similar to Nina Demme, the first Soviet female polar explorer who went on a winter expedition with Otto Schmidt. 'Abroad, such an experiment was considered risky, all sorts of tall tales were invented, creating a sensation out of it, but we had no time to think about the unusualness of our wintering,' Demme later recalled. Despite public doubts, Nina proved herself a brave professional who managed to overcome all difficulties and set an example for hundreds of her comrades. Later, in the 1930s, she was already head of an Arctic camp and conducted several solo expeditions.

New data from AFU-2024 may help HR departments rethink their approach to recruitment in certain industries. This primarily applies to industries requiring high levels of stress tolerance over extended periods. For example, 75 women currently work on Atomflot ships, with two holding managerial positions.

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