Explore 2024: Delegate programme
Bookmark this digital version of the weekend's programme, including speakers, workshops, schedules, and locations.
Explore 2025: save the date
We'd like to thank everyone who attended Explore 2024, including our wonderful speakers and exhibitors.
Explore will return on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November 2025. Sign up for the expeditions and fieldwork newsletter through your RGS-IBG account dashboard and stay informed.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Chair: Felicity Aston
Morning and afternoon main stage lectures in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre (OLT), including tips on how to prepare for an expedition, engaging with local communities, raising the money, and keeping safe.
10.00 Welcome
Joe Smith, RGS Director
10.10 Opening address
Felicity Aston
10.20 Insights from a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment in Salonga NP (DRC) 2022
Merlijn Jocque and Jan Mertens
10.40 West Bengal Water Project
Raphaela Betz, Victoria Taylor and Susana Higueras
11.00 Video ethnographies for participatory action research
Suresh Paul, Loel Collins and Cameron MacKay
11.15 Break
Refreshments in the Map Room and Main Hall
11.45 Expedition planning
Felicity Aston
12.00 Working backwards to move forwards: Legacy driven expeditions
Mark Evans
12.15 Top tips for successful grant applications
Chad Staddon
followed by Funding Q&A hosted by Felicity Aston with Chad Staddon, Claire McNulty and Julian Martin
12.35 Explore 2024 group photo
OLT
12.45 Lunch with Firepot
Networking and exhibitors
Main hall
13.15 Lunchtime workshops:
Getting started in the outdoors
Evan Chick, Erin Linwood, Craig Mathieson, James Dyer, Dwayne Fields, James Levelle
OLT
Grant applications
Chad Staddon, Claire McNulty and Julian Martin
Drayson Room
14.15 The Adventure Mind: How to design outdoor challenges to improve mental health and wellbeing
Belinda Kirk
14.35 Field safety management
Matthew Davies, Remote Area Risk International
14.55 Medical preparations for expeditions
Anna Shekhdar
15.15 Short break
15.30 Expedition logistics and safety workshops (75 minutes)
Mountain and trekking
Tom Davis-Merry, Anna Shekhdar, Spike Reid
OLT
Polar and Arctic environments
Denise Martin, Chris Imray, Claire Grogan, Joshua Braid, Martin Hartley
Lowther Room
Tropical Forest expeditions
James Dyer, Holly O’Donnell, Scott Pallet, Jimmy McSparron, Greg Dickens
Foyle Reading Room
Marine projects
Alex McMaster, Catherine Edsell, Alex McMaster, Lucy Penny, and Lucy Longbottom
Drayson Room
Desert and savannah expeditions
Mark Evans, Jack Watson
Sunley Room
Challenging road trips
Chris Walker, Jonathan Hanson, Will Mather, Graham Jackson
Tea Room
Designing Outdoor challenges to improve mental health & well being
Belinda Kirk, Martin Murphy, Suresh Paul, Conor Diffin
Nightingale Room
Responsible travel, Ethical fieldwork
Christy Hehir, Raphaela Betz, Nazrin Garibova, Susana Higueras and Josh Powell
Council Room
17.00 Feedback from workshops, ask the experts, and pitch your plans
OLT
17.30 - 19.00 Film Screenings:
- Flora, Fauna, Funga (16 minutes). Claire McNulty, NGS documentary
- Amu Darya: River to a Missing Sea (28 minutes), Oscar Turner & James Chapman
- Alone Across Gola (21 minutes), Jude Kriwald
18.00 Explorers’ bar
Map Room
18.00 Student social
Drayson Room
21.00 Optional supper at Wagamama, High St Kensington (20 minute walk)
Sunday 3 November 2024
Chair: Felicity Aston
Doors open 9am for 9.30am start
Morning and afternoon main stage lectures including why fieldwork matters, designing an effective project, ethical and responsible field research, field research opportunities, and the new technologies to assist in data gathering.
9.30 Opening remarks
Felicity Aston
9.45 Citizen science and wildlife conservation: notes from the field
Matt Hammer
10.00 Why fieldwork matters: Peatlands
Nick Girkin
10.15 Using expeditions and fieldwork to support UN Sustainable Development Goals
Meagan Neal
10.30 See the world through Digital Visualisation Tools
Simon Hutchinson
11.00 Break
Refreshments in the Map Room and Main Hall
11.30 Field research and medical workshops (select one):
Human and social sciences
Carl Cater, Charlotte Austwick, Meagan Neal
Lowther Room
Biodiversity surveys
James Kempton, Merlijn Jocque, Holly O’Donnell, Matt Hammer
Foyle Reading Room
Earth and environmental sciences
Nick Girkin, Raphaela Betz, Julian Martin
Drayson Room
Using VR for fieldwork
Simon Hutchinson, Lucy Penny
Sunley Room
Starting your career in Expedition Medicine
Lucy Obolensky, Nathan Hudson-Peacock and the Endeavour Medical faculty
OLT
Getting into Field Science
Niall McCann, Matthias Pav
Council Room
13.00 Lunch with Firepot
Main Hall
14.15 45-minute workshops (in parallel with talks in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre):
Emergency response planning
Anna Shekhdar, Mark Fresch
Council Room
Medical kits
Jack Watson, Daniel Grace
Tea Room
Wellbeing and mental health
Conor Diffin, Lucy Obolensky
Nightingale Room
14.15 Expedition Psychology: how explorers plan for extreme challenges
Jon Rhodes
14.35 Storytelling
Matt Pycroft
14.55 Break
Refreshments in the Map Room and Main Hall
15.15 Communicating your discoveries: sharing work, inspiring action
(select one)
Film and video: visual story-telling
Matt Pycroft, Cameron Mackay, Alex Keefe, Graham Jackson, Natalie Hewit
OLT
Photography and social media
Tom Allen, Matthias Pav
Lowther Room
Writing projects
Ash Bhardwaj, Jonathan Hanson, Graeme Gourlay
Foyle Reading Room
School & youth expeditions and educational resources
Sussanah Cass, Mike Blakey, Evan Chick
Drayson Room
Creative projects: art, exhibitions and participation
Roseann Hanson, Naomi Hart, Kirsten Carlson, Tom Napper
Sunley Room
15.15 Repeat sessions of 45-minute workshops:
Emergency response planning
Anna Shekhdar, Mark Fresch
Council Room
Medical kits
Jack Watson, Daniel Grace
Tea Room
Wellbeing and mental health
Conor Diffin, Lucy Obolensky, Jon Rhodes
Nightingale Room
16.30 Your priorities tomorrow
Event ends 5pm. Building closes at 7pm.