About Us

Special Ops for Conservation

Since our founding in 2011, Adventure Scientists has sent thousands of volunteers on missions to collect data from remote, difficult-to-access locations for our conservation partners. As a result, fungus from Everest has helped double crop yields in India, scat samples are aiding the battle against antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” illegal loggers are easier to catch, and more conservation decisions are guided by the data they require.

Our work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets, and our volunteer adventurers are making a difference around the world. ​​

Not Your Typical Citizen Science

By recruiting, training and managing individuals with strong outdoor skills — such as mountaineering, diving or whitewater kayaking — Adventure Scientists unlocks access to high-quality data from any environment, on any scale. We rely on the outdoor adventure community because they are comfortable in the outdoors and therefore can focus on following protocols. These are individuals who (1) pay close attention to detail, (2) are creative problem solvers, and (3) are able to share their experiences via the rich tradition of storytelling that is at the heart of the outdoor community. Through their participation in our projects, Adventure Scientists volunteers become informed ambassadors for the species, places and issues with which they work.

We view each project as an investment, and we vet each project for three key factors. One, that there is a conservation issue in which a lack of access to data has previously limited the ability to unlock solutions. Two, that there is a direct and tangible pathway from data collection to conservation outcomes. Three, that there is a clear need for the outdoor adventurer skillset.

​We recruit, train and manage skilled volunteers, saving our partners time, money and effort.