The Explorers Club (Switzerland Chapter) hosted a series of events kindly supported by Switzerland Innovation West EPFL (switzerland-innovation.ch) in the Lake Geneva Region during the weekend of Fri 7th to Sun 9th Jun ‘24 open to all those interested in learning more about Exploration.
Below is our lineup on Friday 07/06 at EPFL – all speakers were members of the Explorers Club NGEN Next Generation community:
Speakers Jun’24
12:00 Arrivals at EPFL venue
Auditorium Pallaz MED01418 (across the street from the Rolex Learning Center).
12:30 Toby Wright
linkedin.com/in/toby-wright-7585162b
Description of the “Workshop with a Ghost” initiative and future expedition plans in the Chamonix Region (tobywrightfineart.com).
“Workshop with a Ghost” Glacier Expedition
12:50 Grace Cordsen
Arctic & Antarctic Expeditions and Polar Activism. Chair of the Explorers Club NGEN Initiative.
Presenting the Explorers Club NGEN initiative
13:00 Angélica Anglés
linkedin.com/in/dr-angelica-angles-6ab13a27a
Senior Researcher Iceland Space Agency/ Analogue Astronaut/ Research Affiliate Blue Marble Space Institute of Science/ Former Postdoctoral Researcher Lunar and Planetary Science Laboratory, Macau/ TEDxSpeaker/ Fellow EC.
Searching for Life on Mars
13:30 Francois Malherbe
linkedin.com/in/francois-malherbe-76387132
Chief Curiosity Officer and Fjällräven Global Ambassador.
Navigating the Future: Curiosity and the Art of Tracking Lions
14:00 Simon Bernard
CEO & Co-founder of Plastic Odyssey. Forbes 30 Under 30.
Plastic Odyssey’s Henderson Island Expedition: The Impossible Cleanup
14:30 Break
15:00 Alexandra Climent
linkedin.com/in/alexandra-climent-7b038915
Founder & Executive Director, Endangered Rainforest Rescue.
The Darién Gap – The Ecological Corridor of the Americas
15:30 Thomas Rowell
linkedin.com/in/thomas-rowell-b0a022234
Documentary Photographer / Filmmaker / Storyteller / National Geographic Explorer.
Photographing 1% of Argentina
16:00 Mateusz Wrazidlo
linkedin.com/in/mateusz-wrazidlo-b72504225
Engineer, Researcher, Author.
Gardens of the Lost World – Carnivorous Plants of Mount Roraima
16:30 Lauren Erland
linkedin.com/in/lauren-erland-phd-28055b95
Assistant Professor & CRC Berry Horticulture.
Nature & Community-led Approaches to Understand Plant Climate Resilience
17:00 Event Ends
Previous Explorers Weekend 2023
Inaugural Explorers Weekend 2023
The Explorers Club (Switzerland Chapter) organized a series of events in the Lake Geneva Region during the weekend of Fri 1st to Sun 3rd Sep ‘23 – for free and open to all those interested in learning more about Exploration. 60+ speakers from around the world will gave live and online “TED Style” lectures on Friday.
Three days of activities related to Exploration and Field Sciences including: Expedition Lectures, High Mountain Skills Training and Social Gatherings
Download Sep’23 Event Brochure
The Explorers Club (TEC) Talks @ EPFL Rolex Learning Center
Friday 1st Sep ‘23, from 17:00 until late; free to attend; please bring your own drinks/snacks; epfl.ch; plan.epfl.ch
“TEC Talks” about expeditions hosted in partnership with EPFL Club Montagne at the prestigious Rolex Learning Center, one of the most remarkable buildings in the world (rolexlearningcenter.epfl.ch).
The Explorers Club (explorers.org) members present in Switzerland and club officers online will have 30 minutes long conversations with EPFL stakeholders, as well as with guest speakers from other institutions active in Field Sciences. In parallel a series of mini-lectures “TED Style” will be presented by winners of our EC50 Award in thematic Zoom Rooms accessible via tiny.cc/ExplorersWeekend.
Themes are Science, Conservation, Education, Humanities and Arts. A pdf with the background of the speakers can be downloaded via tiny.cc/EC50. This brochure’s pdf is available via tiny.cc/EW23.
After the main stage sessions wrap around 22:00, participants are most welcome to stay longer to continue their exploratory conversations and network with like minded peers until 22:30.
Capacity at the Rolex Learning Center is significant but still limited, so please book your free ticket via:
eventbrite.com/e/the-explorers-club-tec-talks-epfl-rolex-learning-center-tickets-690781244297
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE
To access the five thematic Zoom Room sessions listed below on Fri Sep 1st between 17:00 – 21:00 CET 11:00 – 15:00 EST please use this redirection link:
SESSIONS ON THE MAIN STAGE
SESSION 1: 17:00 – 17:30
ExplorersWeekend.org Welcome
Keynote on EPFL Open Science
Keynote on The Explorers Club EC50 Award
Katrin Beyer
EPFL Associate Professor and head of the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-beyer-78552069
Richard Wiese
Explorers Club President Emeritus
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-wiese-9a2aa8122
SESSION 2: 17:30 – 18:00
The future of ocean exploration
Richard Wiese
Explorers Club President Emeritus
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-wiese-9a2aa8122
Patrick Lahey
Co-founder and CEO of Triton Submarines (tritonsubs.com)
https://tritonsubs.com/whytriton/team
SESSION 3: 18:00 – 18:30
Back to our roots – Earthen Houses
Johnny Waters
Former Chair of Geology Department and Explorers Club Board Member
https://earth.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/johnny-waters
Savvas Saloustros
EPFL Lecturer at the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering
https://www.linkedin.com/in/savvassaloustros
SESSION 4: 18:30 – 19:00
Remote Logistics in a Changing World
Mead Treadwell
Former Deputy Governor of Alaska and Explorers Club Board Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mead-treadwell-141672
Mark Dorey
CEO of StraightLine Aviation (straightlineaviation.com); Leading Airship Round the World Nonstop Record Attempt
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-dorey-b6a436
SESSION 5: 19:00 – 19:30
Things to do before going to Space
Matt Gohd
CEO and Chairman of Zero Gravity Corporation (gozerog.com)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-gohd-94014a1b
Benjamin Pothier PhD
Consultant and expert on space missions simulations in extreme environments; Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-pothier-ph-d-30a04436
SESSION 5: 19:30 – 20:00
Do look up… Space matters
Mikkel Vestergaard
Founder of Sceye (sceye.com) and Explorers Club Board Member
http://www.weforum.org/people/mikkel-vestergaard-frandsen
Marushka Strah
Space Sustainability Rating Executive Manager
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maruskastrah
NETWORKING BREAK: 20:00 – 20:30
Two online “TEC Talks” in parallel (15 mins each):
Paul Niel
Flag expedition “Project Avenger” discovering US Navy WW2 wreck in the Chinese jungle
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulniel
Louis-Philippe Loncke
TitiKayak: First tour of Lake Titicaca by kayak
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonckelph
SESSION 6: 20:30 – 21:00
Deep dives for Science
Rob Smith
Cave and Wreck Diver; SAP Regional Vice President and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsmithuk
Samuel Gardaz
EPFL Project Coordinator Transnational Red Sea Center trsc.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gardaz-samuel-38947043
SESSION 7: 21:00 – 21:30
Exploration of the mind
Royston Flude
PhD in Counselling and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/royston-flude-b40145
Pavo Orepić
Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Geneva
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavoorepic
SESSION 8: 21:30 – 22:00
Remote Operating Vehicles (ROV) to the rescue
Doug Scott
Founder of ROV Consulting and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-scott-b186a67
Joe Grabowski
Founder of Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants; Explorers Club Board Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/grabowskiscuba
SESSION 9: 22:00 – 22:30
When fit hits the shan – Disaster recovery
John All
Climate Scientists and author of “Icefall”; Survivor of Himalayan crevasse incident (2014): youtu.be/NZ4TWYoJIc8; Explorers Club Board Member and Chapter Chair
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-all-b867597
Marcelo Garcia
Founder of ExplorersWeekend.org and Swiss Chapter Chairman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelogarcia
SPEAKER ROSTER
EPFL Speakers (live)
Katrin Beyer – EPFL Associate Professor and head of the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-beyer-78552069
Pavo Orepić – Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Geneva
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavoorepic
Savvas Saloustros – EPFL Lecturer at the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering
https://www.linkedin.com/in/savvassaloustros
Samuel Gardaz – EPFL Project Coordinator Transnational Red Sea Center trsc.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gardaz-samuel-38947043
Marushka Strah – PhD candidate on on Space Traffic Management and World Space Week Association Director
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maruskastrah
Explorers Club Speakers and guest CEOs (live/online)
Richard Wiese – Explorers Club President Emeritus
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-wiese-9a2aa8122
Mikkel Vestergaard – Founder of Sceye (sceye.com) and Explorers Club Board Member
http://www.weforum.org/people/mikkel-vestergaard-frandsen
John All – Climate Scientists and author of “Icefall”; Survivor of Himalayan crevasse incident (2014): youtu.be/NZ4TWYoJIc8; Explorers Club Board Member and Chapter Chair
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-all-b867597
Mead Treadwell – Former Deputy Governor of Alaska and Explorers Club Board Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mead-treadwell-141672
Johnny Waters – Former Chair of Geology Department and Explorers Club Board Member
https://earth.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/johnny-waters
Patrick Lahey – Co-founder and CEO of Triton Submarines (tritonsubs.com)
https://tritonsubs.com/whytriton/team
Matt Gohd – CEO and Chairman of Zero Gravity Corporation (gozerog.com)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-gohd-94014a1b
Mark Dorey – CEO of StraightLine Aviation (straightlineaviation.com); Leading Airship Round the World Nonstop Record Attempt
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-dorey-b6a436
Rob Smith – Cave and Wreck Diver; SAP Vice President and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsmithuk
Doug Scott – Founder of ROV Consulting and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-scott-b186a67
Niall Murphy – World Economic Forum Global Innovator and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectedbeing
Yuri Sanada – Participant of Phoenician replica ship Atlantic Crossing
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuri-sanada-79077721
Benjamin Pothier PhD – Consultant and expert on space missions simulations in extreme environments
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-pothier-ph-d-30a04436
Louis-Philippe Loncke – Extreme Trekker
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonckelph
Igor Tomić – EPFL Post Doctoral Researcher and Swiss Chapter Member
https://www.linkedin.com/in/igor-tomić-84218a134
Marcelo Garcia – Founder of ExplorersWeekend.org and Swiss Chapter Chairman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelogarcia
EC50 Award Winners tentatively confirmed (online sessions):
The Explorers Club 50 Award is bestowed yearly to “50 People Changing the World That the World Needs to Know About” and was established in 2020 to amplify science communication that is “more inclusive and represents the many diverse voices in the global scientific community.”
Download List of EC50 Award Winners Speaking Online
Science Channel
Michel André – Bioacoustics Engineer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-andré-6a12092
Alicia Colson – Ethnohistorian
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-c-891b001b
Diego Cardeñosa – Marine Scientist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-cardeñosa-0a4b7237
Tanya Harrison – Planetary Scientist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyaofmars
Natalie T. Schmitt – Ecologist/Geneticist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-schmitt-64877968
Joseph Cutler – Freshwater Ecologist and Ichthyologist
https://www.facebook.com/joe.cutler1
Danielle Lee – Biologist
https://www.facebook.com/DNLee5
Nick Ovenden – Advocate and Regeneration Biologist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ovenden-7a230817
Conservation Channel
Callie Broaddus – Conservationist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/calliebroaddus
Anthony Giordano – Conservationist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjgiordano
Mark Ofua – Veterinary Surgeon and Conservationist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markofua
Onkuri Majumdar – Conservationist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/onkurimajumdar
Francisco Javier Robayo – Conservationist
http://www.facebook.com/javierobayo
Sonam Tobgay – Conservationist/Ecologist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonam-tobgay-832501a9
Sateesh Vankatesh – Conservation Biologist
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sateesh-venkatesh-81869320
Education Channel
Shawna Pandya – Medicine
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnapandya
Manuel Jose Carpintero Manzanares – Educator
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-josé-carpintero-manzanares-97776182
Theo Anagnostopoulos – Educator
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theoanagnostopoulos
Sarah Spelsberg – World Extreme Medicine Faculty
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-spelsberg-md-fawm-fewm-3201116b
Ghislain Bardout – Underwater Explorer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghislain-bardout
Craig Mathieson – Educator
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-mathieson-a9176126
Beth Allgood – Wildlife Advocate
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethallgood
Casuarina McKinney-Lambert – Advocate
https://www.linkedin.com/in/casuarina-mckinney-lambert-4b6a873b
Humanities Channel
Manoj Gautam – Humanitarian and Indigenous-Rights Champion
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manoj-gautam-7ba70115
Avijahn Saha – Journalist
https://www.facebook.com/avijan.saha
Losang Rabgey – Anthropologist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/losangrabgey
Halley Ramos – Architectural Preservationist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/halley-ramos
Hilde Fålun Strøm – Arctic Advocate
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilde-fålun-strøm-97991425
Sunniva Sorby – Polar Citizen Scientist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunniva-sorby-b158308
Paige West – Anthropologist
https://www.facebook.com/Paige.West.NYC
Arts Channel
David Borish – Social Researcher and Visual Artist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borish-a29691181
Billy Gauthier – Inuit Artist, Environmentalist
https://www.facebook.com/billy.l.gauthier
Leo Lanna – Artist and Conservationist
https://www.facebook.com/leonardo.moutinholanna
Paninnguaq Lind Jensen – Tattoo Artist
https://www.facebook.com/paninnguaq.jensen
Taira Malaney – Wildlife and Human Interest Filmmaker
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taira-malaney-3b548a203
Tom Martienssen – Documentary Cinematographer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-martienssen-79712b49
George McKenzie, Jr. – Photographer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgemckenziejr
Anthony Ochieng Onyango – Photographer
https://www.facebook.com/tmcanthony
Aishwarya Sridhar – Photographer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishwarya-sridhar-11a65331
Sponsors for this event would be most welcome to help us cover key organizational costs such as catering/tech/admin.
High Mountain Skills Building @ Les Diablerets Glacier (3’000m/10’000ft)
Saturday 2nd Sep ‘23, 09:00 – 17:00; cable car ticket required to access venue; glacier3000.ch
We will be heading up to a nearby glacier to practice High Mountain skills at 3000m and foster a series of discussions with participants, who can share their own expedition experiences. The cable car operates every 20 minutes from Col du Pilon (09:00 – 16:50). As the Friday event ends late, we will focus these activities in the afternoon but suggest that those who never visited arrive earlier to benefit from its majestic beauty. There are several activities around the summit, so please come equipped accordingly if you would like to attempt those – layered clothes, harness, sturdy boots, crampons, etc.
Please register your interest to participate in this part of the weekend program via eventbrite.ch/e/high- mountain-skills-building-les-diablerets-glacier-3000m10000ft-tickets-701660203557
More details on the activities proposed will be shared via email with those registering.
San Martín Cup Finals @ Geneva Polo Club (GPC)
Sunday 3rd Sep ‘23, from 11:00 until late; €20 entry fee with a drink, many upgrades available; genevapolo.com
The Geneva Polo Club (GPC) will be hosting the Finals of Copa San Martín and have kindly hosted us in past events with our own club tent. This is an opportunity to mingle with other exploration-minded individuals in a relaxing environment and get to meet the local equestrian community. No equipment is required other than a curious spirit and joie de vivre… plus a hat and sun lotion just in case.
Main Event Venues and Core Stakeholders
EPFL Rolex Learning Center (RLC)
epfl.ch; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/École_Polytechnique_Fédérale_de_Lausanne; rolexlearningcenter.epfl.ch ; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex_Learning_Center; youtube.com/watch?v=LxxbbECorRs (RLC intro)
As the EPFL flagship venue, stunning Rolex Learning Center (RLC) is their most prestigious location with a famously unique architecture: single one-room space, floor undulations and curved patios.
EPFL is known as the “MIT of Europe” – a world class top 10 university specializing in Engineering and Natural Sciences. The mission of The Explorers Club significantly overlaps with the EPFL 2021–2024 Strategic Plan below, therefore one of our key goals is to identify potential areas of stakeholder synergy:
1. Adapting our education portfolio to meet society’s needs
2. Promoting the next generation of scientists, engineers and architects
3. Bolstering our research excellence in key scientific areas
4. Promoting a culture of open science
5. Deepening our relationship with the Swiss community
6. Developing a sustainable campus and dynamic community
7. Further enhancing the sustainability and stability of our funding
Geneva Polo Club (GPC)
genevapolo.com; eventbrite.ch/e/copa-san-martin-2023-tickets-688698605067 (ticket info)
The Geneva Polo Club was founded in 2008 near downtown Geneva on a 30-hectare estate and has hosted 100+ tournaments held from May to October in a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. The fallback activity in case of foul weather is the Geneva Natural History Museum (ville-ge.ch/mhng).
Les Diablerets Glacier (3’000m/10’000ft)
glacier3000.ch; glacier3000.ch/en/information/tickets-and-prices (ticket info)
One of the most accessible glaciers in Switzerland just around two hours from Geneva Airport, making it an ideal location for High Altitude skills training with its safely groomed “Glacier Walk” slope and several Alpine Climbing routes providing multiple opportunities to consolidate lessons learned. If conditions are too dangerous, the alternative is to meet at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (olympics.com/museum).
The Explorers Club (Switzerland Chapter)
explorers.org; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Explorers_Club; mensjournal.com/adventure/how-to-become-a-member-of- the-explorers-club-w487146; glexsummit.com; https://youtu.be/nqbtisPyTdE (TEC Behind the Scenes)
The Switzerland Chapter is the national representation of The Explorers Club (TEC), an international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting Scientific Exploration and Field Studies.
The club was founded in New York in 1904 and has since served as a major meeting point for explorers and scientists worldwide. The club is proud of its famous firsts, as our members have been first to the North Pole, the South Pole, the summit of Mt. Everest, the deepest point in the ocean, and to the surface of the Moon.
Our “Famous Firsts” expeditions by TEC members – the last line was left blank for the upcoming Mars Landing
TEC HQ gala with the “Original Jedis”, our Apollo moonwalker members; ”virtual” lightsabers are jocular
A past TEC President served as an “Indiana Jones” inspiration; this is his whip on display at our NY Clubhouse
Many thanks to EPFL Club Montagne for their support in the organization of our event at the Rolex Learning Center
This is a nonprofit event co-hosted by EPFL Club Montagne, The Explorers Club (Switzerland Chapter) and WisdomAccelerator.org – a Swiss NGO
For more details on how to attend or sponsor this series of events please contact Marcelo Garcia via switzerland@explorers.org
Event program and online links will be updated via: ExplorersWeekend.org (this website)
Lake Geneva Region and Online| Weekend of Fri 1st – Sun 3rd Sep ’23
Explorers.org – EPFL.ch – Glacier3000.ch – GenevaPolo.com – WisdomAccelerator.org
© 2023-25 Marcelo Garcia – All Rights Reserved
Wisdom Foundation Initiatives: ExplorersWeekend.org, WisdomAccelerator.org, BroadLights.org 