Meet the Crew
-
Expedition LeadRebecca is a biological oceanographer & marine ecologist, whose research spans from animal behavior to carbon cycling in the deep ocean. She received her undergraduate degrees from UC Berkeley, her PhD from Columbia University, and has worked for NASA and NOAA as a satellite oceanographer, using images captured from space to understand how human influences are impacting our ocean ecosystems. For her PhD, she spent 3 field seasons in Antarctica, studying the importance of krill poop to the Antarctic ecosystem and carbon export. Her field work has taken her to remote regions of Costa Rican jungles, islands of French Polynesia, and out at sea with no land in sight. She has taught and mentored students of all levels throughout her career and has led training workshops for citizen scientists and local stakeholders in all of the regions her research has taken her. In recent years, Rebecca has found art and figure skating to be creative fuel for her scientific research and can be most often found at the local ice rinks if the nearby lakes are not frozen.
-
Chris is a field ecologist and the founder and president of Pinecrest Research Corporation, Inc., where he designs and implements ecological restoration projects, advises clients on environmental issues, and engages in environmental and social research and advocacy. He obtained his PhD from UC Berkeley, and completed postdoctoral studies at the University of California Institute for México and the United States. Chris has been studying the coastal desert plant ecosystems of the Baja California peninsula for almost 20 years, and has taught and performed research throughout the world on a variety of topics including botany, evolutionary biology, marine biology, and conservation. Chris is also a passionate advocate for environmental and social justice and is co-authoring a book with his mother on the World War II incarceration of American citizens of Japanese descent. In his spare time he enjoys backpacking, kayaking, fly fishing, tennis, building bicycles, playing the saxophone, and spending quality time with his adorable birds.
-
Ivone is a professor at the Faculty of Marine Sciences at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico. Her research significantly contributes to understanding marine biodiversity and biogeography of Baja California Islands, uncovering species adaptations to different environmental gradients and influences conservation strategies for Mexico’s rich coastal ecosystems. She is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and winner of the Academic Merit Award in Exact Natural Sciences in 2024 for her distinguished career in molecular biology, fish and crustacean ecophysiology, and marine virology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with the Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, processing COVID-19 samples – demonstrating her flexibility and commitment to science beyond her marine focus. When she is not conducting ground breaking research, Ivone can be found adventuring on motorcycle, kayaking, and sailing.
-
Jorge is part of a generation that believes in the future of exploration and the power of new technologies to tackle the crisis ahead—food security, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. His scientific focus is on Earth’s microbiome—an invisible layer of the planet—where microorganisms live and interact with all other lifeforms. As a biologist, he has documented parts of the fungal diversity in the rainforest of Chamela, Jalisco, and studied the rare and endemic flora of Baja California. Growing up in Mexico City shaped his sense of purpose and is a proud ambassador of his culture, rooted in traditions of love, respect, and hard work. Jorge earned a PhD in Environmental Systems at the University of California, Merced, where he studied microbial biogeographical patterns in California's ephemeral wetlands known as vernal pools. He is currently a postdoc at the University of Arizona, where he is studying the desiccation responses in soil bacteria, using diverse molecular tools and microscopy. Most mornings, you’ll catch him skating through the streets, reggae pulsing through his headphones, stopping to check out the local vegetation—which is how he stays grounded and connected to Mother Nature.
-
Dr. Adrian Munguia-Vega is a marine biologist and population geneticist dedicated to redefining the role of scientists in modern society. As the founder and director of the Applied Genomics Lab in La Paz, Mexico, he bridges the gap between research and practical consultancy, ensuring that genomic insights lead to tangible scientific solutions. Adrian is also a researcher affiliated with the Conservation Genetics Lab at the University of Arizona, where he earned his PhD in 2011. Dr. Munguia-Vega has spent over two decades operating at the intersection of academia, industry, government and civil society. With more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, Adrian’s work spans a broad biological spectrum—from microorganisms and rare desert plants to large critically endangered marine species. Whether he is investigating seafood mislabeling, managing small-scale fisheries, or analyzing the socio-ecological connectivity of marine ecosystems, his research is anchored in the belief that genomic tools are essential for navigating human impacts. A seasoned explorer, Adrian has participated in over 30 ocean science expeditions, often leading efforts to document and preserve biodiversity in remote environments. He is also a National Geographic Society explorer. Currently serving as a Co-PI on a major National Science Foundation genomics project, he continues to push the boundaries of environmental DNA (eDNA) and metapopulation dynamics to create a more resilient future for both nature and the communities that depend on it.
-
Max is a geologist & geomorphologist whose heart belongs in the mountains. He obtained his PhD from Columbia University (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) in 2019 with a dissertation titled Glacial Limitation of Tropical Mountain Height and holds an adjunct scientist position at Dartmouth College. His current research is focused on the timing of glacier retreat in the tropics, the pattern of global cooling during the last ice age, and the meaning of a topographic record left by glaciers in mountains throughout the tropics. More broadly, he is fascinated by the myriad ways that the dynamic climate seems to affect the evolution of mountain ranges, and is puzzled by whether there is an ongoing interaction between the long, slow churn of erosion and a global climate that seems quick to change. He combines satellite remote sensing techniques with field work in hard-to-reach places, such as the high peaks of the Talamanca Range of Costa Rica and the Central Range of Taiwan, where he has collected rock samples from glacial moraines for geochemical analysis. Outside of his earth science research Max maintains intense personal interests in the martial arts, Jungian psychology, landscape photography, cold water immersion, and the joy of his tiny toothless cat.
-
Arturo Ramírez is a marine conservation biologist focused on protecting coastal ecosystems of the Baja California Peninsula and the Gulf of California. His work spans rocky intertidal zones, reefs, and kelp forests, combining field research with community engagement and conservation strategy. He earned his Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, studying how the U.S.–Mexico border influences shared marine resource management, and holds an MSc in Coastal Oceanography from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Arturo currently serves as a Research Associate at Fauna del Noroeste (Fauno) and Science and Permitting Liaison for the Western Flyer Foundation. He also leads the Giant Sea Bass Project, a binational conservation effort focused on Stereolepis gigas, the largest bony reef fish found in Mexican and Californian waters. Arturo is particularly passionate about the intersection of academia, non-profit organizations, coastal communities, and government. He is skilled in translating complex scientific concepts into accessible knowledge, helping to connect research with the real-world needs. Deeply committed to education, Arturo mentors students at undergraduate and graduate levels, helping train the next generation of marine scientists. His award-winning research bridges science, education, and policy, translating complex ecology into practical conservation solutions across sectors.
-
Amelia is a marine ecologist and aquatic cave scientist with extensive field research experience. She is a certified cave diver, fascinated by the evolutionary adaptations fish and invertebrates have developed to live within dark caves with limited food supplies. When she is not researching the aquatic cave animals and bacteria, Amelia is helping to understand how other cave animals, such as bats, are influencing the biogeochemistry of aquatic system. Amelia obtained her bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and her PhD from Cornell University and is currently working as a contractor for the National Park Service as a cave scientist. Her field work and volunteer work has taken her all over the world, from the Cenotes in Mexico to the islands of Micronesia, where she facilitated the establishment of an education program to teach Micronesian high school students engineering and robotics. She has volunteered her time and effort, working as the clinical manager for the nonprofit Floating Doctors in Panama, where she managed mobile health clinics that provide free healthcare to indigenous communities. Amelia grew up surrounded by animals, including a pet potbelly pig, mice, and cockatoos. The latest addition to her family is her cat Pickles. Beyond her research, Amelia enjoys hiking to waterfalls, glass blowing, making candles, and creating plant terrariums.
-
Rachel Heckerman is a science communication filmmaker whose work bridges art and science through visual storytelling. She works alongside with research teams in remote environments—from Antarctica and the Arctic to the rainforests of Central and South America—working as a self-sufficient field videographer and photographer. As a self-sufficient field filmmaker, she combines videography, photography, and design to create intimate, human-centered narratives that reveal the people behind scientific discovery. Rachel has documented NASA’s balloon and space science missions in Antarctica, ecological research across the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and cultural education camps in Arctic Village and Kotzebue, highlighting the intersections of Indigenous knowledge and Western science. Her projects span disciplines including ecology, anthropology, archaeology, and astronomy, and she has collaborated with institutions such as the National Science Foundation, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rachel is known for her sensitivity and ability to build trust, especially within Indigenous and subsistence-based communities in Alaska. Her films reveal the human stories behind scientific discovery, highlighting curiosity, place, and the shared relationships that shape our understanding of the natural world. When not behind the camera, Rachel can often be found tap dancing—sometimes literally into her next adventure.
Support our growth
Contact us.
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!
