Earthwatch Expeditions
Our Scientist Leaders
Our Scientist Leaders help participants know the natural world through hands-on field research and discovery.
Earthwatch Expeditions' Scientist Leaders bring clarity to the science behind each adventure and invite curious travelers into their work as active participants. They are accomplished researchers with distinguished credentials from leading academic institutions. Many return to the same ecosystems year after year, building a depth of knowledge that only comes from time, patience and continued immersion. Many have discovered new species, built invaluable long-term datasets and shaped conservation efforts worldwide.
You'll find that they are exceptional people to spend time with—they're welcoming and warm, generous with their knowledge, and thoughtful in their instruction. From Principal Investigators to the broader field team, our Scientist Leaders foster environments that are inclusive, engaging and driven by curiosity.
Abraham Miller-Rushing, Ph.D.
National Park Service, Acadia National Park
Climate Change Ecology, Acadia
Antonio Uzal, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Conservation Biology, Nottingham Trent University
Wildlife Ecology, Kenya
Andrew Gichira, Ph.D.
Research Manager, Center for Ecosystem Restoration
Restoration Ecology, Kenya
Chelsea Clyde-Brockway, Ph.D.
Executive Director, The Leatherback Trust
Marine Research, Costa Rica
Courtney Shuert, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Conservation Programs Manager, Assiniboine Park Conservancy
Marine Mammal Ecology, Canadian Arctic
Dave Oleyar, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist, HawkWatch International
Bird Conservation, Arizona
Demian Chapman, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist & Director, Center for Shark Research
Shark Conservation, Belize
Elizabeth le Roux, Ph.D.
Park Ecologist, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa
Large Mammal Ecology, South Africa
Ellie Milnes, Ph.D.
Doctor of Veterinary Science
Wildlife Veterinary Medicine & Rhino Conservation, Africa
Hannah Webber, Ph.D.
Marine Ecology Director, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park
Marine Ecology
Filipa Samarra, Ph.D.
Lead Investigator, Icelandic Orca Project
Marine Research, Iceland
Frank Paladino, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, Purdue University
Marine Research, Costa Rica
Jessica Quinlan, Ph.D.
Founder, Fishers4Science
Marine Research, Belize
Laurie Marker, Ph.D.
Founder and Executive Director, Cheetah Conservation Fund
Cheetah Conservation, Namibia
LeeAnn Fishback, Ph.D.
Resource Conservation Manager, Parks Canada
Arctic Research, Churchill
Lenin Oviedo, Ph.D.
Research Associate & Associate Head of the Tropical Marine Mammals Ecology Lab
Ocean Health, Costa Rica
Lucy Mureu, M.Phil.
Wildlife Ecologist
Wildlife Ecology and Climate Adaptation, Kenya
Patricia Wright, Ph.D.
Distinguished Service Professor and Herrnstein Professor of Conservation Biology, Stony Brook University
Lemur Conservation, Madagascar
Richard Bodmer, Ph.D.
Professor, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
Wildlife Conservation, Peruvian Amazon
Tula Fang, M.S.
Logistics Coordinator, AmazonEco
Wildlife Conservation, Peruvian Amazon
Siphesihle "Sphe" Mbongwa, MSc, PGDPM
Control Technician and Acting Park Ecologist, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa
Wildlife Monitoring, South Africa
Stephen Petersen, Ph.D.
Director of Conservation and Research, Assiniboine Park Zoo
Arctic Wildlife Conservation, Canada
Steven Mamet, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, University of Saskatchewan
Arctic Research, Churchill
Stewart Thompson, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, Oxford Brookes University
Biodiversity Conservation, Kenya
Valerie Peters, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Eastern Kentucky University
Pollinator Ecology