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Press Release
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY AND LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS ANNOUNCE 2026 VISITING SCIENTIST PROGRAM’S ARCTIC RESEARCH PROJECTS
Six Projects Led by National Geographic Explorers Will Advance Research in Some of the World's Most Remote Places
Rui Seabra / National Geographic
NEW YORK, NY (MAY 20, 2026) – The National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions today unveiled the projects selected for the 2026 Arctic season’s Visiting Scientist Program, including six National Geographic Explorer-led projects spanning 11 voyages aboard National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution.
Supported by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund, the Visiting Scientist Program offers National Geographic Explorers and other respected scientists the opportunity to travel to hard-to-reach locations to collect scientific data, while also connecting them with expedition travelers aboard the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions fleet.
“The Visiting Scientist Program demonstrates the power of our collaboration with Lindblad Expeditions to support field research and data collection in the world’s most remote environments,” said Ian Miller, chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society. “This is what the National Geographic Society and our Explorers strive to achieve every day — to document critical ecosystems and create evidence-based solutions to present-day challenges, while igniting the spark of curiosity in others. These six projects aim to expand our baseline understanding of the Arctic, and we are thrilled to see what they uncover.”
These teams will conduct critical research in remote polar regions — studying microbes, plankton, ice algae, glaciers, intertidal (the area where the ocean meets the land between high and low tides) biodiversity, and microplastics — while connecting with guests through hands-on observation and real-time updates from the field. Through these projects, Explorers will inspire travelers to engage more deeply with the Arctic and experience the thrill of scientific exploration.
“The Arctic offers a rare and unique setting to observe scientists at work, collecting data and documenting change, allowing guests to witness both its beauty and its vulnerability firsthand,” said Trey Byus, chief expedition officer at Lindblad Expeditions. “By supporting vital research efforts through our onboard programs, we reinforce our dedication to science, education and the conservation of the extraordinary environment that we’re able to explore.”
The projects being hosted this upcoming season include:
- Arctic Microbial Diversity as Living Sentinels in a Changing Ocean – Led by National Geographic Explorer Catherine Ribeiro, this expedition team collected and filtered seawater around Svalbard and coastal Norway in April 2026. Her goal is to identify microbes that reflect ongoing changes in the warming ocean.
- Microbial Gateways of the North Atlantic: Examining Arctic Plankton – Led by National Geographic Explorer Gabrielle Corradino, this project will collect plankton in Iceland and Greenland to understand biodiversity patterns in a rapidly changing sub-Arctic marine system. Corradino and her team will set sail in June 2026.
- Ice at the Edge: Walls of Change – Led by National Geographic Explorer Catherine Walker, this project will embark in July 2026 to record geophysical data and imagery of glaciers in southern Greenland with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and other photogrammetry tools. Walker and her team’s work focuses on the structure and stability of “big ice” (massive ice sheets, glaciers and ice shelves) in the polar regions.
- Long-term Monitoring of Rocky Shore Temperatures and Biodiversity – Led by National Geographic Explorer Rui Seabra, this project is establishing a robust monitoring system for rocky shore habitats across the entire Atlantic Ocean. During this trip, Seabra and his team will expand the monitoring network on the Svalbard archipelago and southern Sweden.
- Primary Productivity Potential of Polar Microbial Communities – Led by National Geographic Explorer Allison Fong, this project will assess the changes in microbial productivity in response to a warming ocean in the Svalbard archipelago. The goal is to understand the underlying mechanisms that drive change in microbial physiology.
- Mapping Microplastics and Microfibers in Water and Air – Led by National Geographic Explorer Rachael Zoe Miller, this project will collect microplastics and microfibers from seawater and air along a long transect from Greenland to Iceland to Scotland beginning in September 2026. The expedition builds on data that the project has been mapping and documenting across many National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions voyages across the globe.
This year marks the fourth consecutive Arctic season that the LEX-NG Fund has supported research through the Visiting Scientist Program, with the expedition fleet hosting 16 National Geographic Explorer-led projects since 2023 in this region alone.
To learn more about the Visiting Scientist Program, explore other projects in the Arctic, and see which unique expeditions they will embark on during the upcoming season, visit www.expeditions.com/science.
About Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund
The Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund is a collaboration between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society that supports projects globally and in the regions visited by the fleet. Its mission is to protect our world’s ocean, restore vital marine and coastal habitats, and promote environmental stewardship. The Fund is supported by generous travelers onboard the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions fleet and is made possible by the collaboration between National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions (www.expeditions.com) and National Geographic Society (www.nationalgeographic.org).
About 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.
About National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions:
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions reveals the beauty and wonder of the world through expertly led, deeply immersive modern expedition cruises designed for discovery and created for curious travelers seeking to experience the world from a new perspective. With 100+ unique itineraries visiting 70+ countries and territories across all seven continents aboard 22 state-of-the-art owned and chartered vessels, Lindblad Expeditions operates the largest, most diverse fleet of mission-built ships in the industry on behalf of the co-brand.
The National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand is the result of a decades-long strategic relationship between renowned exploration and scientific discovery brand National Geographic and the pioneer of modern expedition cruising, Lindblad Expeditions.
Media can stay up to date on the latest news from National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions by visiting press.expeditions.com.
Media Contacts:
Kristin Sluyk, The Decker Royal Agency: kristin@deckerroyal.com
Mary Price, the National Geographic Society: mprice@ngs.org
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If you are a member of the media with an inquiry or interview request, please call during regular business hours or email
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Mary Price
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mprice@ngs.org
mprice@ngs.org
(317) 300 - 4333
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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