Scouting In Antarctica

Expedition Organizer, Jeffrey Bozanic, Ph.D.

Jeff began working in Antarctica in 1989 for the U.S. Antarctic Program, and has participated in scientific expeditions to all seven continents and Oceania. He is the Venture Crew Committee Chair and a Distinguished Eagle Scout. He has been recognized as a Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographic Society. Jeff started diving in 1972, and has been teaching diving since 1978. He is active in recreational diving, as well as cave, ice, deep, and rebreather diving. He logged his 5,000th scuba dive in 2016 in Antarctica. He has written extensively on dive safety and education, including the textbook Mastering Rebreathers, and was the lead Technical Editor of the NOAA Diving Manual. He has been recognized for his contributions to the industry with the TDI Professional of the Year Award, DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year Award, AAUS Conrad Limbaugh Award for Scientific Diving Leadership, NAUI Lifetime Achievement Award, and a plethora of other honors.

Scout Organizer, Jenette Lopez

Jenette is a registered nurse and educator serving as Associate Advisor for Venturing Crew 774 on our Antarctica trip. With a foundation in critical care nursing and more than a decade of experience in school health and health education, she brings a strong background in teaching, mentoring, and community-focused leadership. An award-recognized Scout Leader, including Den Leader of the Year and Committee Chair of the Year, she has served in a variety of volunteer leadership roles supporting youth programs and outdoor activities. Jenette is a member of the Orange County Council High Adventure Team and a co-instructor for the Adult Leader Winter Backpacking Course.

Science Advisor, E. Alan Verde, Ph.D.

Alan is a Full Professor at the Maine Maritime Academy and teaches courses in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Cellular/Molecular Biology, Physiological Ecology, Symbiosis, Biological Statistics, Invertebrate Zoology, Coral Reef Biology, Plant Physiology, Cellular Physiology, Animal Physiology, and Chemistry. He has served as Diving Safety Officer on numerous science-research expeditions and has an impressive list of scholarly marine-biology publications.

Science Advisor,
E. Alan Verde, Ph.D.

Team Leader and Science Advisor, John-Aaron Bozanic

John-Aaron is a Summit Award recipient, Eagle Scout, former Crew 774 President, and OA Section Chief. He now serves as a Crew Advisor and District Program Chair in Montana. A Wildlife Biology major at the University of Montana, he’ll be studying microplastics in sediments and organisms during this expedition for his senior project.