Bryan Bates

Bryan Bates has explored and led wilderness trips in the mountains and canyons of the West for 40 years. Following a B.A. Degree in Native American Studies and M.S. in Environmental Science, he and a friend backpacked 21 days through the Grand Canyon. Bryan has led canyoneering backpacks, been a river guide, and conducted archaeological & archaeoastronomical research across the Colorado Plateau, including the Grand Canyon. He has published on archaeoastronomy and was Chair of the Oxford International Conference on Cultural Astronomy. Bryan is currently President of the Society for Cultural Astronomy. Bryan taught biology, environmental science and natural history at Coconino Community College, until retiring as Professor Emeritus, Science, at CCC.

In addition to his research and teaching, Bryan works as an interpretive naturalist with a number of different organizations including the American Association for Advancement of Science, the National Parks Conservation Association and numerous Natural History Museums. 

Wayne Ranney

Wayne Ranney is a geologist and writer who is a veteran of expedition travel, having journeyed to and lectured on all of Earth’s seven continents. He is the recipient of the 2018 American Association of Petroleum Geologists “Geosciences in the Media Award” and has received other national and regional honors for his writing, lectures, blog postings, and expeditionary guiding. His foreign and domestic travels have taken him to South America (Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and the Amazon), Australia and New Zealand, the Polar regions (Antarctica, Iceland, and Greenland), and desert landscapes in Africa, Asia, the Atacama, and the American Southwest.

With a lifelong interest in the earth sciences, Wayne specializes in making the fascinating story of our planet come alive for fellow travelers. He was elected to the Explorers Club and has visited more than 85 countries. Wayne is a retired professor of geology who lives in Flagstaff, Arizona near his beloved Grand Canyon. He is passionate about sharing his vast knowledge of earth history with others in an easy-going and informal style, yet he is a well-respected author of numerous award-winning books and articles. He enjoys languages, hiking, river running, photography, conversation, and anything that allows him to get outdoors with others in seeing the varied and interesting landscapes of our beautiful planet.

Kirt Kempter

Kirt Kempter is a Fulbright Fellow and Ph.D. graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, where he conducted his dissertation research on Rincón de la Vieja volcano in Costa Rica. For the past 11 years, Kirt has worked for the New Mexico STATEMAP program, studying the geologic history of northern New Mexico. Kirt is also an instructor for the NASA astronaut training program, teaching NASA’'s 2009 astronaut candidates geologic mapping techniques in northern New Mexico. Since 1993, Kirt has led numerous journeys for the Smithsonian Institution, from Iceland to Antarctica.

Martin Magne

Dr. Martin Magne recently retired from the position of Director of the Archaeology and History Branch for Parks Canada, where he guided the archaeology and history teams across the country. Martin completed his B.Sc. at the University of Toronto, his M.A. at the University of Manitoba, and his Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia. His doctoral research focussed on the prehistory of BC’s Interior Plateau and he has undertaken archaeological research throughout the province. A highlight of his fieldwork has been 10 seasons in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve in Haida Gwaii as part of a team researching the earliest coastal human occupations 14,000 to 9,000 years ago. Since the early days of his career Dr. Magne has worked closely with many Indigenous communities, mostly in western Canada. He has academic, government, and private consulting experience in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia and is presently Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. He had direct involvement in the Franklin Expedition Project, overseeing Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team in their searches leading to the discoveries of the long-lost ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. His other main research interests are in Indigenous rock art, stone tool technology, and the migrations of the Dene people from northern Canada to the American southwest and Pacific northwest some 1200 years ago. Dr. Magne has received the Public Service Award of Excellence, as well as the Parks Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Resource Management and Commemorative Integrity.

Patricia Hostiuck

Patty Hostiuck has roamed the globe as a naturalist for three decades, seeking out wildlife-rich niches, investigating breathtaking landscapes, and sharing her insights with thoughtful travelers. Her academic background in biology and geography shape a perspective that spotlights the importance of place, the abiding interdependence of living things, and the critical influence of nature on human cultures.  She has served as a National Forest Ranger and National Park Ranger, worked extensively leading eco-travel and expedition trips from the tropics to both polar regions, and has led—on all 7 continents and on all 7 major oceans—over 100 Smithsonian Journeys from A to Z (literally, Antarctica to Zimbabwe). A highly praised leader with impressive field expertise, an astonishing breadth of knowledge, and an avid following, Patty’s passion to untangle nature’s secrets comes across in her engaging presentations, informal commentary, and one-on-one chats. Travelers will benefit from her encyclopedic knowledge, irresistible enthusiasm, spirit of adventure, and sense of fun.