About Katya Ovsyanikova
Marine Biology Presenter
You may also see Katya in the following role(s): Expedition Guide
Katya is a marine biologist, an avid traveler and photographer. She is passionate about conservation, education and sharing beautiful wild places she has visited with others. The daughter of Arctic biologists, she has been traveling into high latitudes since her early childhood. Her love for the natural world inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in zoology, studying the ecology of sea otters on the Commander Islands in the Russian Arctic. In 2009 Katya began working on expedition cruise ships in Russia's Far East, the sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctica, sharing her love of wilderness and nature with like-minded travelers. Katya has been working with Quark since 2015.
Katya’s adventures include snowmobiling across Chukotka in the Russian Arctic, fieldwork at Scott Base in Antarctica and sailing through the Great Barrier Reef in the Australian tropics. Katya is very passionate about educating young people about the natural environment and has participated in many education and conservation projects in her spare time.
After several years of working on ships, Katya decided to return to academia and completed a Master of Antarctic Studies in New Zealand, followed by a PhD in Marine Biology in Australia.
Aside from expedition travel and the Polar Regions, Katya’s interests are broad and include yoga, mindfulness, dancing, horse riding, hiking and learning languages. Katya is always keen to practice her Spanish or French with fellow travelers.
