RGS Explore Weekend speakers and facilitators
Meet the world-leading experts who generously share insights and advice from their deep involvement in geographical exploration.
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Cat Burford
Cat Burford, 'The Molar Explorer', is a dentist by profession passionate about using adventurous journeys to inspire others and challenge stereotypes.
Claire Grogan
Claire is an emergency medicine doctor with a passion for expedition and remote medicine.
Craig Mathieson
Craig is an accomplished and respected explorer, having skied to both North and South Poles. He has 20+ years’ experience guiding in the Arctic regions. He runs “The Polar Academy” charity – inspiring and motivating struggling teenagers by offering them an opportunity to be part of a major Arctic expedition.
Denise Martin
A Canadian living in Scotland, Denise has a long-standing history with polar travel and guiding. One of the original polar guides from the late 90s with many expedition miles behind her, Denise loves sharing her experiences and hearing about the expedition aspirations of others.
Dr Lorraine Craig
An Earth Scientist by training, Lorraine has worked spring and summers in the high Arctic. As Chair of the Gino Watkins Award Fund and other exploration bodies Lorraine brings a range of polar experience.
Felicity Aston
Felicity is an author, speaker and student research scientist. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica. It was a journey of 1,744km that took 59 days to complete and which gave her a place in the book of Guinness World Records.
Helen Turton
Helen has visited both the North and South Poles and crossed Greenland on skis on several occasions.
Jemma Wadham
Professor Jemma Wadham is one of the world's leading glaciologists, best known as a pioneer in the field of understanding glacier-hosted life and the impacts of glaciers on our global carbon cycle.
Kate Retallick
Kate is a Royal Navy Officer and hydrographic surveyor recently employed on operations in Antarctica to update navigational charts. She has undertaken multiple polar ski expeditions including crossing Greenland.
Martin Hartley
Over the past two decades, Martin has covered over 2,000 miles, living for over 400 days on the skin of the Arctic Ocean on multiple long range expeditions.
Olly Sanders
Olly is a climber and paddler who has been expeditioning for over 40 years. Olly has combined sea kayaking and climbing to explore Arctic Regions.
Rachel Carr
Rachel is a Professor in Glaciology at Newcastle University, whose research and teaching focus on the response of glacier to climate change, in the Himalaya and the Arctic.
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