Cynthia Matzke has made some startling scientific discoveries, and she is just getting started. Her curiosity and passion for marine ecology have led her to dive in and film remote ocean ecosystems on expeditions from the tropics to the poles.
Her success stems from an ability to see the world through a different lens and focus on societal issues by creating synergistic collaboration with a variety of partners. She appreciates cutting-edge research and technology, yet through her writing and travels, she uncovers and shares the voices of traditional wisdom that provide broader understanding and learning opportunities.
As an Explorers Club Fellow, she is willing to go to extreme and remote locations to find answers. Ms. Matzke has joined expeditions to send landers to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, sailed over ten thousand miles to document plastic pollution and rare species, traveled deep into Micronesia to learn about the wayfaring culture and spends time in Arctic waters filming orcas feeding in the icy fjords of Norway. Her images tell the story of the people and ecosystems that are shifting in this changing climate.
As an ocean science communicator and adjunct professor, she takes wild experiences from the field into the classroom to inspire a new generation of youth in underserved communities. Through writing, presentations, television, and film, Cynthia has spent her career reaching audiences across a variety of platforms with important messages from Planet Ocean. She founded the documentary film group, Spiral Pacific, to share how through learning about the world beyond of us, we can gain happiness, insight and introspection which fosters positive change.
