Meet a few of our explorers focusing on all things ocean!

Check out our archive of Explorer Classroom events to meet even more.

1. Meet Sylvia Earle

“Called “Her Deepness” by the New Yorker and the New York Times, “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, and the first “Hero for the Planet,” Sylvia is an oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist. As the first female chief scientist at NOAA, she pioneered many firsts in the world of oceanography. Her wish: to save life as we know it by protecting the oceans.

Check out these links for more on Sylvia.

• Oceanographer: Sylvia Earle
• Sylvia Earle’s Hope Spots
• In Her Words: Sylvia Earle on ‘Women in Science’

 

2. Meet Tierney Thys

When it comes to the Mola mola, a.k.a. the ocean sunfish, nobody is more of an authority than Tierney Thys. The fish, which inhabits all tropical and temperate seas, is the largest bony fish in the world, sometimes reaching 3.5 meters (12 feet) long and weighing nearly 2,700 kilograms (6000 pounds). Despite their huge size and sprawling range, little is known about ocean sunfish or their behavior. “I hope all aspects of my work can help raise awareness of the oceans—not only of the spectacular life within the boundaryless blue, but also the pivotal role the oceans play in our global climate and the livelihood of humanity.”

Check out these links for more on Tierney.

• Funky Fish: Tierney Thys and the giant sunfish
• Splashy Sunfishes: Secrets of the World’s Heaviest Bony Fish Surface
• Tierney Thys: Swimming with giant sunfish

 

3. Meet Asha de Vos

Asha de Vos is a marine biologist who studies the “unorthodox” blue whales of Sri Lanka. Asha is the first and only Sri Lankan to earn a Ph.D. in marine mammal research. She founded Oceanswell, an organization working to change the trajectory for the world’s oceans by educating the next generation of ocean heroes, equipping students from underrepresented nations to conduct marine conservation research, and engaging everyone in conversations about the importance of our ocean.

Check out these links for more on Asha.

• A New Approach to Saving the Whales
• Poo’s Clues
• Big Discovery and Big Challenges for the World’s Biggest Animal

 

4. Meet Erika Bergman

Erika Bergman is a submersible pilot—and a passionate storyteller. She studied chemical oceanography while working as a diesel engineer and has since worked as a submersible pilot for exploration, research, and filmmaking. Erika is also an editor of OpenExplorer.com and the founder of GEECs (Global Engineering & Exploration Counselors), which provides a network of thrilling engineering camps to girls around the world.

Check out these links for more on Erika.

• Deep-Sea Submersible Pilot: Erika Bergman
• Classrooms Under the Sea: Manned Submersibles as Ocean Teaching Tools
• Crashing Into Ice: The Impact of Climate Change, on My Head

 

5. Meet Jess Cramp

Jessica Cramp swims with sharks. She is passionate about stopping the overexploitation of sharks and the degradation of the ocean. She is passionate about stopping the overexploitation of sharks and the degradation of the ocean—and believes that fostering a lasting impact requires a comprehensive approach and local buy-in. Because of this, Jess prioritizes listening to local perspectives while actively engaging community members, community leaders, and government officials in her research and advocacy efforts. Jess is the founder of Sharks Pacific—a nonprofit organization dedicated to shark and fisheries research, outreach, education, and advocacy.

Check out these links for more on Jess.

• World’s Largest Shark Sanctuary Protects Cook Islanders’ ‘Guardians’
• Saving Sharks with Sanctuaries
• The Expedition Begins: A Study of Shark Ecology and Movement Patterns in Fiji