Explorer's Club Live: 

Dániel Apai is an astrobiologist and astrophysicist who specializes in the discovery and study of planets around other stars. He is a Professor of Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, and Optical Sciences at The University of Arizona. For over twenty years, he has used the most powerful ground-based telescopes – often located in high-altitude deserts – and space-based telescopes to search for and characterize extrasolar planets. Dániel leads the NASA-funded Alien Earths astrobiology team, which focuses on understanding the formation and habitability of nearby planetary systems. He founded and led Project EDEN, an international search for planets in the closest planetary systems. His work has led to several influential discoveries, including the nearby super-jupiter Beta Pictoris b, the identification of gigantic atmospheric waves in exoplanet and brown dwarf atmospheres, and the finding that planetary systems also form around sub-stellar brown dwarfs. He also leads the development of the Nautilus Space Observatory, a space telescope constellation using a revolutionary new optical technology. Dániel is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and The Explorers Club.

Samantha Schwann is an underwater explorer and visual storyteller. Since 2021, her work has concentrated on documenting biodiversity within low-light ocean depths, often referred to as the twilight zone. Now thought to contain more marine life than the rest of the ocean combined. Elected as a member of The Explorer’s Club in 2022, her work is drawn to the intersection between art, exploration, technology, and science. In 2021, she incorporated the use of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to pilot at depths between 250–1000 feet, a niche zone generally too deep for diving and shallower than typical research expeditions. Schwann’s photographic work has been recognized through exhibitions, awards, grants, and publications. Her film work has since been included in both an exhibit and a film festival screening. She enjoys connecting with audiences through public speaking, and has appeared on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, as well as podcasts and radio.