Denise Mary Allen

Denise Allen AAM is a Meteorology Observer and Forecaster who worked with the Bureau of Meteorology.

Denise Allen
Born1954
Pinnaroo, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
AwardsAustralian Antarctic Medal
Scientific career
InstitutionsAustralian Antarctic Division

Early life

Born in Pinnaroo, South Australia 1954, Allen initially trained as a teacher at Adelaide University, but became more interested in other fields and moved to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) where she developed her interest in Antarctica.[1]

In 1986, she received her amateur radio licence and used the callsign VKOYL. She said she would rarely use her microphone after becoming too popular and was often flooded with calls from fellow DXers.[2]

Career and impact

Allen first arrived in Antarctica in 1985, working as an Observer for BOM at Macquarie Island.[2] Over the next several years, Allen worked in Antarctica as an Observer and Senior Observer, before returning in 2005 as Meteorology OIC, and finally as Senior Meteorological Observer in 2007. All together she took nine trips[3] to Antarctica spending six winters there between 1985 and 2007,[4] and was the first woman to winter at each of the four Australian Antarctic stations in 1992.[5][6]

After 29 years with BOM, Allen retired[1] and has worked with the ANARE Club as National Social Secretary and Information Technology co-ordinator. She continued to visit Antarctica in this capacity.[7]

Awards and honours

On June 21, 1989, Allen was awarded the Australian Government's Australian Antarctic Medal for outstanding service as a pioneer for women in Antarctica and in support of general expedition duties and Antarctic research. [8] She was presented with the 1989 Antarctic Medal at Government House, Melbourne on 25 October 1989 by the Governor of Victoria, Dr Davis McCaughey. Denise and fellow 1989 medal recipient, Medical Officer Diana Lynn Williams,[2] are jointly the first women to receive the award.

Further reading

References
  1. "Denise Allen interviewed by Bruce Watson in the Australian Antarctic culture oral history project [sound recording]". Trove. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  2. "Women, radio and Antarctica - Denise Allen" (PDF). Amateur Radio (Australia): 28. July 2004.
  3. "Women's Museum of Australia". wmoa.com.au. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  4. "Australian Antarctic Winterers". Anare Club. 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  5. Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, Volume 1. Beau Riffenburgh. CRC Press. 2007. p. 1095. ISBN 978-1-281-08220-6. OCLC 815536244.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. "The weather women: how a group of pioneers brought equality to Australian meteorology - Social Media Blog - Bureau of Meteorology". media.bom.gov.au. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  7. "Denise Allen - Voyage 2-3 to re-supply Casey station for the 2014 year". ANARE Club | Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  8. "Australian Antarctic Medal (AAM) entry for Denise Mary Allen". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 21 June 1989. Retrieved 17 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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