Dr Stephanie Last was born and raised in the Blue Mountains, Australia, and developed a love of the outdoors from an early age; she grew up bushwalking, canyoning, and rock-climbing, and later took up trail running and skiing.
Her love of the natural world has inspired many travels and adventures, and she has lived in the US and the UK, and stepped foot on all seven continents. With roots in Norway – her great-grandfather was born in Sandefjord and came to Australia on a whaling ship – Stephanie has also spent time exploring this majestic part of the world. She now divides her time between Australia and New Zealand, making the most of the unique natural playgrounds in these southern lands.
Stephanie’s other great love is books. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Sydney, and has published on the psychology of character in Victorian fiction. Since 2018, she has worked in the English department at the University of Sydney, teaching classic literature, and writing studies.
After travelling to Antarctica in 2022, Stephanie became fascinated by the histories and tales of the polar regions, particularly the stories of those heroic characters who have acquired an almost mythological status in the public imagination. She looks forward to many lively discussions with guests about heroism, exploration, survival, and loss at the icy ends of the Earth.
