University of Colorado Boulder

Brown University

Rice University

Scientist. Mountaineer. Educator. Polar Guide.

Boulder, Colorado, United States

Science in the Wild is an adventure travel and expedition company that leads immersive and educational science expeditions around the world, teaching you about science and how to DO science. The company aims to make science accessible for anyone with the curiosity to learn more about the planet's landscapes and how they are changing. We hike, climb, ski, and paddle the wilds, providing you with opportunities for hands-on field experimentation and participation in cutting-edge research in some of the most remote parts of the world. We teach you everything you need to know to collect, analyze, and interpret scientific data - the art of science storytelling. We use open-source technology and software, and aim to publish our results in open-source journals. Our science is accessible and our data collection methods, transparent.We welcome participation from all walks of life and collaborations with artists, photographers, and filmmakers. As we continue to grow, you can look forward to opportunities for teens, families, and teachers, too!For upcoming trips, please see: <a href="http://scienceinthewild.com">http://scienceinthewild.com</a>

Science in the Wild

Founder and Owner

Remote post-doc work: website management and upkeep, social media and public outreach, and data science for the Alaska Climate Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Post-doc

I'm honored to be part of the Fjallraven local guide team for the Denver flagship store, which opened in June 2020. Fjallraven's local guide program partners with people in the community who embody the values of the brand: having a passion for nature, a deep regard for sustainability and respect for humans, animals and the environment. "The call of the wild – of the mountains – has always been strong, despite growing up in the flatlands. It drew me to Colorado to pursue my doctorate degree in geology. As my PhD progressed, it took me even higher – to the Himalaya of Nepal. The vertical world presents a challenge: there are secrets in the snow and in order to access them, it requires physical and mental strength.  Though my academic training prepared me in geology and glaciology, mountaineering allowed me to access such inhospitable and challenging terrain in order to study it. My love of extreme environments has also led to expeditions on Baffin Island, Svalbard, Antarctica and NASA – where I was selected to command an on-the-ground deep space simulated mission, meant to test the effects of isolation and confinement.  My life represents a blend of passions – science and sports. As a national fellow of The Explorers Club, I am supported in my ambitions to explore the planet. I seek to share experiences with others in nature as a scientist, guide and educator. By immersing ourselves outdoors, we may find that despite no wifi in the wilds, we will get better connection – with our planet and what truly matters.As a Fjallraven Guide, Ulyana connects us with nature by offering workshops and talks on the geology of the Rockies, the glaciers of the world, the high peaks of the planet and how you can get involved in studying our planet as a citizen scientist to help spread awareness of preservation. She also guides treks and experiences on peaks and the polar regions."

Fjällräven

Local guide

Geologist and glaciologist expedition specialist aboard the Greg Mortimer for Aurora Expeditions' Antarctic Circle and Antarctic Explorer expeditions.

Aurora Expeditions

Glaciologist

Geologist, glaciologist and rifle-bearer aboard the Polar Pioneer ship for Aurora Expeditions' Svalbard Odyssey Expeditions in the high Arctic.

Geologist

Teaching blocks 4 - 7 as a visiting assistant professor at Colorado College in 2018/19. Courses: EV 128 (Introduction to Global Climate Change); EV 212 (Energy and Thermodynamics); and EV 320 (Climate Change in the High Alpine). My responsibilities included curriculum creation; lecturing and leading discussions; organizing and leading field trips; and mentoring students on public speaking and research paper writing.

Colorado College

Visiting Faculty

Co-leader for a high school robotics workshop at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, run by Putney - National Geographic Student Expeditions.

Putney Student Travel

Workshop leader

I was invited back to teach block 7 for an "Introduction to Global Climate Change" undergraduate class. My responsibilities included curriculum creation; lecturing and leading discussions; organizing and leading field trips; and mentoring students on public speaking and research paper writing. Final projects for the students included turning in a research paper and presenting a research poster in a public forum.

Expedition leader for geology and climate change "on assignment" high school program in Iceland.

Expedition leader

In the spring 2017, I was a visiting lecturer at Colorado College where I taught an "Introduction to Global Climate Change" undergraduate class. My responsibilities included curriculum creation; lecturing and leading discussions; organizing and leading field trips; and mentoring students on public speaking and research paper writing. Final projects for the students included turning in a research paper and presenting a research poster in a public forum.

In September/October 2016, I served as mission commander for the NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) XII mission. HERA is "a unique three-story habitat designed to serve as an analog for isolation, confinement, and remote conditions in exploration scenarios."The research carried out during this 7 week experiment (2 weeks of training, 4 weeks in the hab, 1 week of debrief) included behavioral health such as group dynamics, isolation, confinement; human factors, such as interactions with the confined station environment; exploration of medical capabilities, such as self-diagnosis and treatment; and communication (delayed communication and self-sufficiency) while on simulated mission to an asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Johnson Space Center

HERA crewmember

During this one-year post-doc, I validated satellite-derived albedo (reflectivity) measurements of snow and ice with on-the-ground fieldwork in the Arctic and Himalaya. This research was specifically geared towards distinguishing glacial ice and snow through their spectral characteristics using field-portable spectroradiometers provided by ASD, Inc., a company based in Boulder, CO.  I also quantified black carbon and dust concentrations in natural snowpacks, spanning from Alaska, to Colorado, to the Canadian Arctic, to the Himalaya. The presence of these contaminants greatly increases melting of snow and ice, hence quantifying their impacts are important. Finally, I collaborated with researchers at NCAR and NOAA, also based in Boulder, CO, with the goal of fine-tuning different techniques for analyzing snow - in one situation, you melt and filter the snow while in the field; in the other, the sample remains frozen and is analyzed in the lab in-situ.

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)

Post-doctoral researcher

I was an instructor for a wilderness science education program for high school girls on Gulkana glacier, Alaska. Teenage girls were taught basic mountaineering skills (ice axe and crampon walking techniques; how to travel on a rope while climbing a mountain), scientific observation skills, and field art.

Girls on Ice

Glaciology instructor

I was an instructor for a wilderness science education program for high school girls on Mt. Baker, a glaciated volcano in Washington state. Teenage girls were taught basic mountaineering skills (ice axe and crampon walking techniques; how to travel on a rope while climbing a mountain), scientific observation skills, and field art.

Glaciology/volcanology instructor

I headed the Black Ice - Himalaya expedition to Ngozumpa glacier, Nepal

University of Colorado at Boulder

Expedition Leader

I headed the Ngozumpa Glacial Lake Imaging Project (N-GLIP) in the Nepalese Himalaya

I conducted field work in the Himalaya, exploring the different contributing factors to ice melt in the high alpine.

I was a geology tutor for NCAA student athletes.

Ulyana Horodyskyj