THE STORY COLLIDER PRESENTS: 50 years of Sending People Underwater
The Story Collider is partnering with the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society to bring you an evening filled with stories that will transport you beneath the waves!
Get ready to be inspired by the incredible tales from some of Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society alumni who have gone on to careers in documentary filmmaking, philanthropy, deep ocean science, science tourism, and more. Dive into a night of captivating tales and scientific discoveries as we celebrate half a century of underwater education and mentorship in New York City, or live online.
Hosted by Paula Croxson and Grant Bowen.
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 7:30pm.
Stories by:
Jessica Anayansi Garcia Pantoja is a passionate Masters student in Coastal Oceanography at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico. Growing up in a big city like Guadalajara, her love of the ocean began as a child, spending days jumping on waves during family camping trips to the coast. These experiences inspired her to study marine sciences. In 2023, Jess was awarded the Dr Lee Somers AAUS Scientific Diving Internship Scholarship by the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society, which gave her the opportunity to train as a scientific diver. For her Masters, she is studying how local fisheries management strategies affect biodiversity in the kelp forests of the Baja Peninsula. She is the Mexican Ambassador for Maskelp, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to protect Baja's kelp forest ecosystems through science, capacity building and communication. Outside of school, Jess spends her time surfing, sailing and diving. She is also co-founder of "Nosotras y el Mar," a community of women surfers and scientists dedicated to promoting ocean conservation and environmental education through surfing in her region.
Explorer Megan Cook is proudly part of a team investigating the deep and dark 95% of the ocean which remains unknown. Megan directs Ocean Exploration Trust and Exploration Vessel Nautilus’ outreach strategy and media team including at-sea and onshore education programs and partnerships that connect audiences to the excitement of discovery, the interdisciplinary challenges of the deep ocean, and STEAM role models. With this team, Megan has led science communication at-sea on 30+ deep-sea expeditions and organized over 100 research cruises. Her passion is in elevating role models and transforming ocean exploration to make new space for, amplify, and respectfully weave together knowledge from all who are passionate about the ocean, especially those with identities historically marginalized from participation. She loves helping people fall into fascination with our planet and using technology to share environmental stories. Megan's international career has taken her from the sunlit tropical reefs to the iceberg scours of Antarctica bridging scientific research, conservation education, and media. Megan is a scuba diver with over 500 hours spent underwater. She was awarded as North America’s Rolex Scholar by Our World Underwater Scholarship Society and a Guiding Star for Women in Adventure by Suunto.
Hailing from Lancashire in the north west of England, Mae Dorricott is an underwater researcher for natural history documentaries and is currently based in Bristol. From a young age she was blessed with the privilege to visit her mother’s home of Malaysia where her obsession with the sea began. The coral reefs imprinted onto Mae, and from those first snorkels as a child knew that her life would revolve around the sea. During her time studying marine biology at the university of Plymouth she worked part-time at the local Aquarium, where her passion for communication was ignited. To learn more about how good communication is essential for a healthy ocean, Mae undertook a Masters in Science communication at the University of West England. Then, in 2017 she applied and was awarded the European OWUSS scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to explore the watery world like never before. This opportunity became a springboard into the industry in which Mae currently works, specializing in underwater documentaries.
Maya Santangelo is a professional nerd, diver, and marine scientist. Working in the dive and expedition industry for more than 15 years, Maya's experiences as the 2016 Australasian Rolex Scholar of the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society cemented a passion for science communication and ocean education to enhance meaningful travel experiences. Since 2017, Maya has worked as an Undersea Specialist with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, diving and filming underwater around the world to share what would otherwise be out of sight, out of mind. With a focus diving in the Antarctic for the past 6 years, she has become especially interested in researching and educating about marine conservation through fisheries management and sustainable seafood choices. Alongside this role, Maya works above and below the surface to research the habitat use of the critically endangered school shark, the diet and trophic ecology of the widely distributed leopard seal, and the remote population of manta rays in French Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands.
Douglas C Zinn spent over four decades working in the nonprofit sector through his engagement in philanthropy. For over thirty years he worked for the Duke family and three of their family foundations; The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, The Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Foundation, and The Duke-Semans Fine Arts Foundation in Durham, NC, after which he spent almost a decade at The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust in Chapel Hill, NC, retiring from there in 2021. He has served on several nonprofit boards - locally, regionally, and nationally. He is deeply passionate about the sector and his experience covers all areas, including but not limited to, the arts, medicine, rural communities, and education.In December of 2022, he founded his consulting agency, Philanthrology, LLC. He concentrates on assisting families establish foundations and helps them develop their philanthropic interests and advises non-profits on how to strengthen their roles and boards, and be more effective in their services. He also advises current funders, both private and public, on ways to deepen their impact and develop more efficient evaluation processes.