Guest lectures on expedition cruises
Ever since my early years, I have been fascinated by deserts and have subsequently travelled to several of them, including hot sand and stone deserts such as the Sahara in Libya, the Atacama in Chile and Bolivia, the Taklamakan in China and the Australian Outback. Since 2018, I have been accompanying expedition cruises to the cold ice and snow deserts of the Arctic as a guest speaker. The map below shows the regions I have visited so far.
These journeys allow me to discover fascinating destinations and to share with guests what I know about the countries and their people. Conversely, I can benefit from their knowledge and experience. My repertoire covers a broad spectrum of topics from the fields of biology, geology, glaciology, history and culture (see link to the list of lectures). In my presentation – all richly illustrated with photographs, film clips and graphics – and in personal conversations, I tailor my approach to the interests and knowledge of my guests, focusing on topics that are particularly relevant to the destinations in question. In doing so, I endeavour to convey conceptual understanding rather than mere factual detail.
My aim is for guests not only to enjoy a wonderful trip, but also to return with a better understanding of Arctic habitats – and with an awareness of the many threats they face and the urgency of protecting them. Sometimes this succeeds, as feedback of this kind shows: “Climate change, environmental protection and the social problems faced by local people hadn’t really crossed my mind before; but your talks have really made me think.”
Cruises attended as a guest speaker On board lectures