National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Visiting Scientist Programme
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Reveals 2025 Arctic Visiting Scientist Programme
Lindblad’s National Geographic Endurance In Arctic
Ten pioneering research projects to take place aboard polar-class vessels in the world’s most remote regions
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has announced the line-up of projects for its 2025 Arctic Visiting Scientist Programme, an ambitious initiative that brings National Geographic Explorers and world-class researchers onboard select Arctic voyages to carry out vital scientific studies. These experts will travel aboard the fleet’s state-of-the-art polar vessels, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution, while sharing their work with guests through immersive onboard engagement.
The programme will support ten research projects during the 2025 Arctic season, with six led by National Geographic Explorers. Over the course of eleven voyages, these projects will collect valuable data from some of the planet’s most extreme and understudied environments.
Trey Byus, Chief Expedition Officer at Lindblad Expeditions, said:
“The Arctic region is especially powerful, allowing guests to witness both beauty and change in real time alongside the scientists working to document and protect it. The Visiting Scientist Programme is a cornerstone of how we turn expedition cruising into a platform for meaningful discovery.”
Researchers from institutions including the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts, University of Porto in Portugal, and Moss Landing Marine Labs at San Jose State University will conduct cutting-edge fieldwork while onboard. Guests will gain rare insights through live storytelling, demonstrations, and real-time updates, enriching their journey with a deeper understanding of climate change, biodiversity, and ocean health.
Highlights of 2025 Arctic Research Projects
Atlantic Ocean Coupled Coastal Temperature and Biodiversity Observation Network
Led by National Geographic Explorer Rui Seabra, this long-term project is creating a cross-Atlantic network to monitor coastal temperatures and biodiversity. Seabra will join two voyages in Svalbard and coastal Norway in June, building on similar work already conducted across the Arctic, Atlantic Isles, and Antarctic regions.
Emerging Hotspots of Biological Productivity Driven by Greenland Ice-Sheet Melt
Dr. Mike Wood will join National Geographic Endurance in August to study how glacial melt is affecting ocean temperatures along Greenland’s west coast. He will collect seawater samples and deploy an oceanographic float designed to transmit data for years after the voyage.
Mapping Arctic Seaweed Biodiversity with Environmental DNA (eDNA)
National Geographic Explorer Chloe Nunn and team member Luisa Düsedau will join National Geographic Explorer in July to track the distribution of Arctic seaweed species using eDNA. This research offers critical insights into shifting biodiversity and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.
Ice at the Edge: Walls of Change
National Geographic Explorer Catherine Walker and her colleague Caroline Needel will board National Geographic Resolution in July to study the towering glacial cliffs along Greenland’s coast. Their research into the collapse and retreat of ice faces will help refine global sea level rise models.
Each of these projects not only contributes to the global body of scientific knowledge but also enriches the guest experience onboard, offering travellers a rare opportunity to witness research as it happens in real time.
To discover more about the Visiting Scientist Programme and the 2025 Arctic expeditions, visit www.expeditions.co.uk, call 0800 021 3189 or email sales@expeditions.co.uk.