Special Guests

Embarking on a polar expedition with Quark is as much fun as any other vacation. And, it can also be a fascinating, enriching learning experience. Because the world is still learning about the Earth’s Polar Regions, it’s important for us to be able to provide an accurate picture of these areas, and its wildlife, to our guests.

That’s why Quark offers a Scientists in Residence program. Launched to coincide with the beginning of the 2012 Antarctic season, the program employs a number of experts who receive opportunities to expand their knowledge of polar wildlife and environments, and then share it with guests.

The program is meant to provide scientists and researchers with a means of getting to remote areas, otherwise inaccessible to them, to make their observations, collect samples, conduct research, and gather data for later analysis. This is one of the many learning and educational highlights that Quark passengers experience on their polar cruise.  

Special Guest and Experts Fully Engaged with Quark Guests

The scientists and researchers engage with our passengers, and make their work accessible to all travelers. They also deliver lectures on board, in their area of expertise. Quark is proud to announce this year’s scientists-in-residence as Tom Hart, Mark Jessopp, and Mike Polito.

Dr Tom Hart was a founding part of the program six years ago and his speciality is penguin science and conservation. Mark Jessopp has been participating for three years, focusing on seabirds. Mike Polito has also been with the program for six years and he specializes in birds and mammals and their environment.

Scientists are chosen for the nature of their research, and the relevance of our destinations to their research. They conduct ongoing research, and excel at explaining their work to guests in an informative, engaging way.

Enjoy Formal Lectures and Informal Talks

Lectures, presentations and talks are an important component of the program. Often, scientists don’t have opportunities to share their work in ways that most people would understand. With the program, not only can they do this with Quark guests, they get to do it in the place where their research is happening. It is a fantastic match, where everyone benefits.

Guests can listen to formal lectures, informal talks, and ask questions of the scientists when the scientists aren’t working and it can make for fascinating bar conversation in the evening. Quark guests can expect two formal presentations from the scientists, in addition to casual conversation here and there. While there are no hands-on activities for guests as part of this program, there is still an opportunity to help with the research.