An equal world is an enabled world. That’s why we’re proud that women lead more than half of Atlas Obscura’s science trips.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary ladies who lead our travelers to some of the wildest places in the world.

The Bumblebee Expert: Dr. Hollis Woodard

As an assistant professor of entomology at the University of California Riverside, Dr. Hollis Woodard specializes in bumblebee behavior, physiology, and conservation. From Alaska to Israel and the North American deserts, she has gathered critical research to help understand and protect these small but mighty pollinators.

This June, she’ll lead Science in the Field: Tracking Wild Bumblebees in Sequoia. In the open meadows of the Sierra Nevada, you'll learn about the plight of the bumblebee firsthand from Dr. Woodward as you track bees and explore the native wildlife.

The Squid Expert: Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D.

Sarah McAnulty is the most enthusiastic squid biologist and marine conservation advocate we know. She’s the founder of Skype a Scientist, a nonprofit that enables scientists to video conference with students in classrooms, as well as a Ph.D. recipient from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. 

If you want to learn about the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Sarah’s the best person to ask. This June, she’ll lead Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu. Join her in the waves to see schools of tropical fish, flotillas of sea turtles, and squads of squid—all with fascinating lives and complicated relationships hidden beneath the surface.

The Big Cat Expert: Imogene Cancellare

Conservation biologist Imogene Cancellare researches rare, elusive wildlife. Among carnivores and amphibians, she studies conservation genetics, population ecology, and wildlife management. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Delaware, she’s exploring the phylogeography and genetic structure of snow leopards in Asia.

Imogene has led our travelers through the Amazon rainforest. Join her this September for Expedition Amazon to experience incredible wildlife in Peru. The following month, in October, she’ll explore the region again in Wildlife of the Ecuadorian Amazon. See birds, butterflies, and monkeys by day and take night hikes after dark.

The Science Journalist-in-Training: Rasha Aridi

Rasha Aridi doesn't lead any of our trips—yet. An aspiring science journalist, the Virginia Tech undergrad was our first-ever Conservation Storytelling Fellow who joined us in the Peruvian Amazon. Read more about her experience on her blog.