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From Supervolcanoes to Sacred Springs and More: National Geographic Explorers Unveil Nine Collaborative Projects
The National Geographic Society has announced $1.3 million in funding for nine projects around the globe as part of its Meridian grant program
Ngasri, 75, and Murti, 60, collect sea grapes in Central Java, Indonesia, on August 28, 2023. Sea grapes are one of the main ingredients in Lasem's food culture but are increasingly difficult to obtain due to unpredictable weather patterns.
Photo by Irene Barlian
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 18, 2026) — Today, the National Geographic Society announced $1.3 million in funding for nine teams of National Geographic Explorers — talented scientists, storytellers and educators — who have just received support from the Society’s Meridian grant program to enact collaborative, solutions-based projects across the globe.
Grounded in the power of teamwork, Meridian grants support two or more Explorers who combine their expertise across fields of study, geographies and lived experiences. Since 2021, the Society has awarded over $7.2 million in funding to over 60 Meridian projects carried out by more than 275 Explorers. This year’s selected projects, chosen from a competitive pool of over 100 applications, will draw on the expertise of 34 Explorers with fieldwork across 12 countries.
"Positive change does not occur in isolation; it requires a global community of solution-seekers to work together. The Meridian program fosters connection and helps Explorers magnify their collective impact through innovative projects that fulfill the Society’s mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world."
Though the Society’s funding spans two years, the powerful connections established through these collaborations lay the groundwork for long-term efforts and sustained, ongoing impact.
The recipients of the 2026 Meridian grants include:
- Daughters of the Earth: Fighting for a Food Secure Future (Indonesia)
Explorers Irene Barlian and Lulu Middleton will document the resilience of women preserving local food culture amid the climate crisis across Indonesia.
- Voices from the Volcano: Education, Science and Storytelling in the Volcanic Area of Campi Flegrei (Italy)
Explorers Giulia Barfucci, Chiara Goia and Michele Raggio will empower students and teachers in Italy to share their perspectives about life in the Campi Flegrei red zone — a volcanic area described by the media as a “supervolcano” — fostering deeper understanding beyond labels.
- Rerooting Water Resilience of Wae Telang’s Indigenous Community Through Participatory Learning and Storytelling (Indonesia)
Explorers Cindy Rianti Priadi, Michael Eko, Yingshan Lau and Nick Okafor, at the request of local leaders, will combine oral histories, community mapping and a socio-hydrology study to illustrate the cultural and ecological value of Wae Telang, a sacred spring in West Manggarai.
- From the Ground Up: Building the Community-Led Conservation Framework (Kenya)
Explorers Shivani Bhalla, Jeneria Lekilelei, Toby Otieno and Surshti Patel will work with communities in Kenya and beyond to create a community‑led conservation approach rooted in local knowledge and priorities that can be implemented worldwide.
- Path of the Jaguar: Advancing Conservation Through a Science-Based Ecotourism Model in Latin America (Mexico, Panama and Brazil)
Explorers Antonio de la Torre, Pablo Albarenga, Ivonne Cassaigne, Edu Fragoso, Ricardo Samuel Moreno, Marina Rivero and Valeria Towns will examine the potential of jaguar-focused ecotourism by testing whether the successful habituation model pioneered in Brazil’s Pantanal can be adapted to other ecosystems.
- Bridging Depths: Effectively Advancing Marine Science Through “Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology” (Seychelles)
Explorers Sheena Claudia Aisa Lydie Talma, Diva Amon, Titus Cañete, Katy Croff Bell and Asha de Vos will convene experts from Small Island Developing Nations to discuss the effective implementation of marine technology transfer, a cornerstone of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The project is part of National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions, a series of trailblazing scientific explorations dedicated to generating solutions to protect our ocean.
- Eco-Mosaic: A Global Mosaic of Underrepresented Communities for Collective Conservation (England, Scotland and Sri Lanka)
Explorers Poppy Lakeman Fraser, Eshadi Mendis and Natalie Sinclair will bring together communities whose voices are often unheard in environmental decision-making to engage in storytelling, hands-on environmental action and the co-creation of cross-continental mosaic artwork, resulting in a visible, collective local-to-global conservation movement.
- Mapping Iceland’s Extreme Life: ROV Mapping and eDNA Sampling of Iceland’s Newly Discovered Hydrothermal Vents (Iceland)
Explorers Skylar Tibbits, Jeffrey Marlow and Jessica Todd will conduct a return expedition to a recently discovered shallow hydrothermal vent field off Iceland’s northern coast with original team members Erlendur Bogason and Geir Borg to create the first full map of the underwater ecosystem and document its microbial diversity.
- DEEP TIME — Fossils, Stars and Storytelling: A Traveling Science Program Connecting Youth Across Mongolia (Mongolia)
Explorers Bolortsetseg Minjin, Julia DeMarines and Sophie Dia Pegrum will collaborate with local communities and museums through immersive learning to link dinosaurs and deep time to cosmic wonder, sparking youths’ curiosity in conservation, cultural advocacy and local leadership.
Previous recipients of Meridian grants have uncovered the secrets of Latin America’s tent-making bats, used virtual reality to visualize the Arctic under climate change, and advocated for the preservation of Black heritage trees. Together, National Geographic Explorers are driving discoveries that strengthen our relationship to the natural world — and to one another.
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About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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