Knowledge Bank

Dr. Feeney was in the Antarctic in the early 1960s. His educational and professional pursuits are discussed, including time at Northwestern University, Wisconsin, Harvard Medical School, the University of Nebraska and the University of California Davis. Feeney’s specific research interest at the time of his Antarctic exploration centered on the evolutionary biochemistry of eggs. In the Fall of 1964, Feeney was contacted by the National Science Foundation (through the encouragement of Admiral Black and Dr. Ingram) and was sent to Antarctica to study penguin eggs. He was funded through the Navy. Feeney’s meeting and interaction with Dr. Thomas Poulter is described. The process of gathering eggs and freezing the egg whites at Cape Crozier is discussed. His discovery of a new blood protein in the peguin eggs is explained, along with the naming of this protein (penalbumin). Feeney also began to work in partnership with Professor Donald F. Wohlsclag, who was gathering and studying fish. Feeney continued to travel to the Antarctic each year for the next 6 years, bringing students and colleagues with him. The sample collection and shipping from McMurdo Station to Travis Air Force Base in California is described. Feeney goes into great detail regarding his research at UC Davis (using the Antarctic samples) including protein structure versus function and glycoproteins. Observation chambers in the sea ice are described. Feeney’s work on the Norwegian ships the Geostars is described (1977). He also discusses his time as a visiting professor in Alaska, Newfoundland, and Japan.
The publication of Feeney’s books Professor on Ice and Polar Journeys: The Role of Food and Nutrition in Early Expeditions is described. Various nutritional problems and solutions for Antarctic travel are discussed, specifically the Amundsen, Scott, and Greeley Expeditions. The nutritional information gathered by Dr. Feeney was eventually formatted into a class at UC Davis, which he taught for three years. The system of choosing NSF grant recipients and the problems therein are described.

Major Topics Evolutionary biochemistry of eggs Scientific specimin gathering and recording in Antarctica Shipping of scientific samples to and from Antarctica Observation chambers in sea ice Proper nutrition and nutritional deficiencies in Polar Exploration National Science Foundation grant program