Already a Club Member? First Time Logging-In? Please enter your email on file with the Membership Dept.
Your Member email was verified. Check your mailbox. Your password setup link was sent.
Your email address is not assigned to any Member.
Your web account is not active anymore.
Want to reset your password? Enter your e-mail assigned to your Membership.
Want to set up your password? Enter your new password below.
Your password was set. Log into your account using your email and your new password.
Presentations from our Explorers-in-Residence, who have received funding through one of our many grant programs – with emphasis on those who have completed groundbreaking grant expeditions from the past year. This event is limited seating and first-come, first-serve.
Where: The Explorers Club Headquarters
When: Saturday, April 25, 2025 at 1:00pm
Hosted by Trevor Wallace, Vice President for Research & Education.
The Influence of Anthropogenic Disturbances on Aquatic Biodiversity in Kenya and Tanzania
Joshua is an avid freshwater ecologist. He is currently a doctoral candidate and teaching assistant at the University of Florida pursuing a PhD in Zoology. He holds a MSc degree in limnology and wetland management from BOKU University, along with an IHE-Delft and a BSc degree in Environmental Science from Karatina University, Kenya. He is also a macroinvertebrate expert and a certified SASS practitioner. Additionally, Joshua holds certification in climate change and sustainable development from Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran. His research interests include Macroinvertebrate taxonomy and ecology, fish ecology, community ecology, trace element pollution, and aquatic food web ecology.
Mapping Jaguar Resilience in the Southern Cerrado, Brazil
Letícia is a conservation biologist hailing from Brazil. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice from the University of Oxford, along with a Master’s Degree in Ecology and Natural Resources Conservation. Letícia brings a wealth of experience in landscape ecology, wildlife management and human-carnivore conflict resolution. Passionate about education and scientific communication, she has spearheaded initiatives to engage global audiences in sustainability and political issues, especially women empowerment in science. As CEO of the Pró-Onça Institute, Letícia leads efforts to empower communities and protect biodiversity, combining research expertise with grassroots activism. With a track record of co-founding and directing environmental NGOs focused on carnivore conservation and youth engagement, Letícia is dedicated to exploring and protecting the world’s natural ecosystems, and fostering a conservation legacy in Brazil while inspiring future generations to champion environmental stewardship.
Visions from the Deep Arctic: Unknown Behavior and Habitat Use of the Pacific Sleeper Shark
Jessica is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and an Honorary Research Associate of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. She is also a Fellow National of The Explorers Club and a tribal member of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas. Jessica received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University and her M.S. in Fisheries from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She studies the genomics of marine fish and invertebrates to catalog the biodiversity of the oceans and tackle fisheries conservation questions. During the past 12 years, Dr. Glass has led field expeditions in South Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, French Polynesia, and Alaska. She works closely with fishers around the world to engage in community science and is passionate about making marine genomics research more accessible to local communities and researchers in developing countries.
Coral BRIDGE – ORAI Habitat Reef Coral Outplanting and Monitoring
Shelby is the Founder and CEO of the Ocean Rescue Alliance (ORAI), a pioneering nonprofit dedicated to marine conservation and restoration. With a master’s degree in Marine Ecology and currently pursuing a PhD in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, Shelby is an expert in marine restoration. Her innovative approach uses artificial structures to enhance marine habitats, protect coastlines, and foster community connections through art. As a passionate environmentalist and marine conservation advocate, Shelby has led ORAI to implement groundbreaking techniques that restore marine environments and promote ecological awareness. Through her research and outreach, Shelby aims to inspire others to protect our natural world, making a lasting impact on both the environment and people’s lives globally. Her vision is to conserve, restore, and better manage our ecosystems, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
The Impact of Climate Change on Forensically Important Fly Biodiversity in Arctic Sweden
Michael is from the coastal region of central New Jersey; has over a decade of experience in scientific exploration and has been the program administrator for the On-Farm Food Safety Team at Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) since 2019. He received his BS in agricultural science and MS in entomology under George Hamilton, both from Rutgers University. In the 2022-2023 academic year, he trained with Philip Buckland in archaeoentomology and environmental archaeology at Umeå University through a Fulbright fellowship. As a current New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) Sandy Hook fellow with the NOAA James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory and PhD student in Krystal Hans’ lab at Purdue University, Mike’s research blends paleoentomology and environmental forensics in modern agricultural production.
Indigenous Ichnology: Tracking Connections Between Dinosaur Footprints & Indigenous Petroglyphs
Bennett is a PhD candidate at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), where he studies dinosaur footprints, the End Triassic Extinction (202 million years ago), and global environmental change through the Mesozoic (252-65 million years ago). As an indigenous scientist, Bennett is also keenly focused on environmental justice, and is a part of ongoing collaboration between Columbia University and the Navajo Nation to understand the distribution of geogenic groundwater contaminants in the Nation’s water supply. CLEANN (the Collaboration to Lower Arsenic Exposure on the Navajo Nation) sits at the intersection of public health, hard rock geology, and environmental justice. Bennett considers himself a storyteller above all else, and notes that paleontology provides our best framework for navigating an increasingly volatile future. Through his career as a scientist and educator, Bennett hopes to inspire people to see the deeply intrinsic sense of wonder gained through careful observation of any natural system, such that they carry that wonder with them into a more beautiful world.
Exploring the Last Home of the Swamp Tigers: Bangladesh Sundarbans
Hasan is a conservation scientist from Bangladesh, where he has been studying and working to protect his country’s last remaining big cats, including Bengal Tigers. His work focuses on creating synergy between the local communities and the country’s government through the integration of scientific research so that managers can make informed decisions regarding conservation and biodiversity. Hasan’s research has led to the discovery and rediscovery of many “long-lost” large carnivores in Bangladesh such as the Asiatic golden cat, clouded leopard, dhole, and gaur. He has been working in the Bangladesh Sundarbans since the beginning of his career in 2007, where he led several tiger survey teams. He is also a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group. Currently, Hasan is a PhD candidate at the University of Delaware, where he is training as a spatial and quantitative ecologist so he can further enhance informed conservation decision making in Bangladesh.
Climate Words in the High Arctic
Pamela EA is a visual storyteller from Mexico who has built a body of visual work and organizations around climate justice and gender equality, including Climate Words and Latinas for Climate. Pamela has integrated design thinking from her product design education at Parsons School of Design and creative journalism from her MA Photojournalism at UAL: LCC to synthesize compelling stories from the frontlines and encourage climate optimism in others. Since 2017, Pamela has used multimedia storytelling and community building to push the boundaries of innovation in education, conservation, and international policy, inspiring and engaging others to protect the wonder of our world.
Found and Protected: Critically Endangered Hammerheads in the Colombian Pacific
Diego is a Colombian Postdoctoral Associate at Florida International University at Florida. His research interests are focused on determining the species composition of the international shark trade, the identification of geographical regions of origin of wildlife products and supply chains at highest risk of illicit trade, and the development and implementation of rapid, portable, and inexpensive in-port DNA protocols to enhance the detection of illicit wildlife trade by law enforcement officers in major wildlife trade hubs around the world. In recent years, he has worked closely with INTERPOL and law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Spain, and Colombia on combatting trafficking of sharks, rays, anadromous eels, and freshwater turtles, while also conducting the largest shark fin market survey in the world. In addition, he works closely with countries in South America to reduce shark bycatch and create long-term programs to assess the status of shark and ray populations in the region using telemetry, environmental DNA, and Baited Remote Underwater Video Survey approaches.
Rewilding Jaguars in the Iberá Wetlands: A Wildlife Resurrection Story
Henry Maillet is an explorer, storyteller and environmental advocate based in South America. With the support of a growing network of local and international collaborators, Henry works to identify and elevate the most pressing environmental challenges facing the region by leading interdisciplinary expeditions and multimedia campaigns. Whether using a bespoke macro photography rig to capture the hidden world of insects, or custom DSLR camera traps to photograph the behavior of wild jaguars, Henry excels in leveraging cutting-edge storytelling techniques to unveil the unknown marvels of the natural world. Despite his reliance on technology for storytelling, Henry most enjoys sharing a good story (and yerba mate) around a campfire while on expedition.
Primate Lifeworlds: The Intricacies of Human Relationships with Nonhuman Primate Species in Northeastern India
Ishika Ramakrishna is a Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, India, and has completed her Masters in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore. Her academic and applied interests lie in an interdisciplinary space across ethnoprimatology, social sciences, citizen science, science communication and conservation education. Following her work on human-nonhuman primate interactions in the Nicobar Islands in India, she is now studying the underlying mechanisms that drive a range of interactions between human communities and nonhuman primates in the northeastern states of India. She hopes to eventually draw insights from her academic work on human–nonhuman ecosystems and work towards being able to preserve positive relationships between them, minimise potentially negative circumstances and facilitate smooth sharing of information between various stakeholders on ground.
Myth of a Killer: The Iberian Orca
Ricardo is a cinematographer specialising in underwater cinematography and photography. Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Ricardo’s prime focus is mainly on action and adventure sports. Determined to pursue a career in filmmaking, Ricardo combined the knowledge he acquired through his formal education in Mechanical Engineering with various elements of motion-picture cinematography to achieve superior images in defying benthic conditions. Currently, Ricardo is operating as the director of photography on several feature-length documentaries, short artistic projects as well as branded content for global brands like Red Bull.
Trevor is an Explorers Club fellow and expedition filmmaker focusing on the wild, remote corners of the world and stories of the human spirit. He has been on 6 Flag expeditions including an ongoing archaeological project and field school he led in Menorca, carrying historic Flag 69 to excavate a group of shipwrecks dating back to Roman times. In 2018 he was awarded the ‘New Explorer of the Year Award’ alongside Dr. Gino Caspari for uncovering the oldest Scythian tomb found to date in Siberia. He has a Master’s in Education from Boston University, is a licensed secondary teacher, and was a guest professor at Sarah Lawrence College. His work has been featured by Discovery Channel, CNN, National Geographic, Fujifilm and more.
