Dr. Angélica Anglés is a planetary scientist and astrobiologist, and her research is centred around the search for extraterrestrial life on Mars. She completed three MSc degrees and a PhD in Astrobiology/Planetary Exploration, where she prepared for future Mars sample return missions. Thanks to her research, she was invited to be part of the Landing Site Selection team for the NASA Mars 2020 planetary mission. A few months ago, she was one of the five analog astronauts for the first UK analogue space research mission. She has won several awards and scholarships to study extreme environments on Earth. She is also the Principal Investigator of a Mars Analog Expedition to search for habitable environments in Iceland, where she is collaborating with the Iceland Space Agency, NASA and the Space Exploration Institute of Macau. She has published several scientific publications in peer reviewed journals and co-authored a book a few years ago. She has done a lot of public outreach, with multiple radio interviews, TV and social media appearances. Three years ago, Harper’s BAZAAR magazine awarded her the title of Visionary Woman 2020, aimed to recognize and honor high-achieving female leaders with true vision in several different fields, and she was also appointed the Chair of the Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter. 

Alexandra Climent is a New York-based artist, woodworker, and activist whose practice focuses on the endangered tropical hardwoods of Central and South America. She is the founder of Endangered Rainforest Rescue. Formed in 2022, but who’s been in operation for the past seven years. Endangered Rainforest Rescue is a nonprofit dedicated to locating, sourcing, and tracking the presence of endangered hardwoods within the Darién Gap. This research is shared with the Yale Environmental Institute to survey the dramatic environmental changes within the remote jungles of Panamá. The communal aid of institutions, indigenous communities, and determined individuals, involved with this project defines the humanistic potential for radical environmental change. Through those combined efforts, ERR has successfully reforested thousands of endangered trees on an organic protected farm in Central Panamá. While deepening their relationships within local communities, ERR continues their reforestation practices to collect endangered native seeds, map tree locations for seasonal cultivation, and plant these endangered species on protected lands.

Satya Gontcho A Gontcho, Ph.D. (MI’21) is a French Cosmologist working at the forefront of the efforts to build the largest three-dimensional map of the observable universe ever made by mankind in order to shed light on the nature of dark energy, the force responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe. She received her B.Sc. from University Paris Saclay, her M.Sc. from University Paris Sorbonne, her PhD from the University of Barcelona and is currently a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her work on studying the distribution of matter in the universe in the era following the formation of the first stars and galaxies has earned her to be featured as one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019. That same year she was the recipient of the Giuseppe Sciacca International Award in acknowledgement for her scientific excellence and her strong commitment to mentor the future generations of scientists. In her spare time, Dr Gontcho A Gontcho uses her expertise as a scientist and as a performance artist to explore the various ways storytelling can be adapted to reach a broad audience and bring the public’s attention to the wonder of understanding the universe in which we live.

Francois Malherbe is a Fjällräven explorer for Africa with a career coaching background. As a ‘chief curiosity officer’, he founded The Curiosity Company to equip young explorers and corporate leaders to navigate a fast changing world of work by conserving the instinct to explore the unknown. Francois did his Nature Guide and Trails Guide training through the African Guide Academy. Francois now uses the ancient art of tracking wild animals on foot to teach the principles and fundamentals of curiosity and complex problem solving. Curiosity Company aims to understand how ancient solutions and indigenous knowledge can be used to solve modern problems. He serves on the board of directors of Lessons in Conservation, and spends most of his time between Cape Town, the Okavango Delta and the Kruger National Park.

Daniel Benjamin Ortega is an underwater explorer, scientist and educator. Daniel holds a Bs. in Biological Sciences (Conservation Biology and Ecology) from Arizona State University. He holds multiple technical and cave diving certification through GUE (Global Underwater Explorers). He has completed well over 2300 hours underwater in various extreme environments. Daniel is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Marine Genome Project, a nonprofit focused on using genetics to preserve the biodiversity of our ocean. He has trained hundreds of scuba divers and professional instructors over the past 5 years, earning multiple awards of excellence. He is a National Member of The Explorers Club, and has had the prestigious honor of carrying Explorers Flag #218 into the field. On his latest project to Sardinia, Italy, he was one of the first persons in the world to collected eDNA from an underwater cave system, leading the discovery of multiple new and un-described species within the underwater cave systems. 

Sophia Rückriegel is a social and environmental activist, author, entrepreneur and high school student residing in Brooklyn, New York. She has spearheaded and supported multiple social action initiatives in collaboration with local and national organizations serving communities of color in the United States and is a diversity, equity and inclusion advocate. Sophia has participated in global service programs to support marine life conservation in Central America and health care service provision in Peru. A national of the United States and Germany with a strong interest in learning languages and bridging cross-cultural understanding, she has studied abroad in Schondorf Am Ammersee, Germany during 10th grade, and speaks French, Spanish and German. Her first book, written for young people, How to Be a Social Activist: How to Plan, Launch and Support Social Change in your Community and our World, co-authored with Kilian Rückriegel, was released in December 2022.

Mateusz Wrazidlo is a Silesian explorer, mechanical engineer and photographer.
Since 2003, starting at the age of just 9 he’s been developing his passion for unique (especially carnivorous) plants, keeping a particular focus on the flora of the South American “Lost Worlds” – the tepuis of the Guiana Highlands.
An avid horticulturist and researcher, Mateusz has been expanding his knowledge of the botanical world combining practical experiences growing demanding plant species in his conservatory and learning about their natural environments during numerous expeditions.
Co-organizer and member of multiple botanical & photography expeditions focused on documenting rare plants and learning about their habitats, including locations such as Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia or Svalbard.
Currently affiliated with the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice (Poland) where he develops innovative solutions for cultivation of vulnerable species of tropical plants.