National Geographic
National Geographic
Since becoming a National Geographic Explorer in 2015, I’ve worked on several international science, storytelling, and education projects all focused on environmental conservation. I primarily work as a creative producer on project, helping manage the overall project and creative direction, but I also lead specific parts of projects related to my expertise in participatory design, science education, and digital design.
EXPLORER PROFILE
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/find-explorers/sara-camnasio
At the 2019 Explorers Festival in DC, I had the chance to talk about the Grandpa’s Reef VR film project funded by the Society.
GRANTs received
YOUNG EXPLORERS GRANT (2015)
My journey as a National Geographic Explorer began in 2015, in a completely different field of work than I do today. My National Geographic Young Explorers Grant funded fieldwork for an astronomy research project investigating low-mass objects called brown dwarfs. We first traveled to the NASA Infra-Red Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea (Hawai'i) and then traveled to Las Campanas Observatory in the southern Atacama Desert region (Chile). My collaborators for this project were Munazza Alam, Dr. Jackie Faherty, Dr. Emily Rice.
Fieldwork in Chile at the Las Campanas Observatory. Photo by Yuri Beletsky
Fieldwork in Hawai’i at the NASA IRTF facility
At the 6.5m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile with Munazza Alam and Haley Fica
Fieldwork at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile with Munazza Alam and Haley Fica
High humidity and freezing temps = ice on the Magellan dome :(
YOUNG EXPLORERS COLLABORATION GRANT (2017)
In 2017, I received the National Geographic Young Explorers Collaboration Grant along with 4 other National Geographic Young Explorers: Vanina Harel, Ben Mirin, Erina Molina, and Kyle McBurnie. The grant funded fieldwork to the Philippines to shoot an underwater VR film for kids 13-18, and then our return in June 2018 to distribute it. This project was in collaboration with the Haribon Foundation. See more detail about this project here.
Film location: Apo Reef Natural Park
Production team, from the left: Kyle McBurnie, Vanina Harel, Erina Molina, Ben Mirin (taking the photo)
EARLY CAREER GRANT (2018)
The grant funded my work as a PI to lead the educational campaign of our VR film “Grandpa’s Reef.” I traveled to the Philippines in March 2019, where myself, Erina Molina and the Haribon Foundation led an educational campaign that reached over 1,000 students.
MERIDIAN COLLABORATION GRANT (2020)
As part of a collaboration for over 50+ National Geographic Explorer, I received a Meridian Grant to co-lead the design and launch of Constructive Visions, a storytelling project to re-imagine post-COVID-19 futures. Read more about this project here.
Art by Laura Nuñez
MERIDIAN COLLABORATION GRANT (2023)
I am currently planning for an upcoming storytelling project exploring the cultural and ecological history of 3 iconic Mediterranean trees: the olive tree, the carob tree, and the stone pine. I am collaborating with two co-PIs: tree geneticist Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat (Lebanon) and documentary photographer and filmmaker Maria Contreras Col (Spain). Stay tuned!
