About us
Our scientific Results
Meet our Team

whO we are
POLARQUEST is a non-profit association gathering sailors, scientists, and science communicators from all over the planet, united by a passion for the ocean and its preservation. The Association was created in 2017 to carry out Polarquest2018, an ambitious circumnavigation of the Svalbard archipelago on the tracks of a glorious scientific expedition of the past, the mission of Nobile’s Airship “Italia” to the North Pole (1928). We achieved all our scientific objectives by performing microplastic sampling, cosmic rays measurements, and 3-D mapping with drones. We shared results globally through live communication, engagement with citizens, documentary production, and exhaustive media coverage.
For the Ocean Decade, we are expanding our network and welcoming a fleet of like-minded science adventurers, and remain committed to sharing science while promoting sustainability, collaboration, and innovation.
Exploration & scientific Firsts
Nautical Miles Explored
oUR STORY
When circumnavigating the Svalbard archipelago during our Polarquest2018 expedition, we found plastic on every beach. Some of them had barely seen human feet, yet the footprints of our waste were conspicuous.
We sailed beyond the 82nd parallel North to sample microplastic in the Arctic. On the very edge of the polar ice shelf, we found in our Mantanet a piece of plastic visible to the naked eye. The worst surprise came once our samples were analyzed months later in the lab: of all the manta trawls from Iceland to Svalbard, the peak content of microplastic came from our Northernmost trawl: 82°07’ N.
Our Expeditions
Citizen Science
A recognized objective of the European Horizon 2020 programme
Complex, global challenges such as the loss of polar ice, pervasive pollution of the natural environment and global warming require a global scientific approach, global solutions and global engagement. The immense potential achievements science has to offer cannot thrive without the participation and collective intelligence of society. Moreover, the increasing involvement of citizens in climate activism has surely contributed to spreading public awareness and triggering media interest in ocean and climate science.
Our activities, starting with our flagship expedition Polarquest2018, are based on the involvement of volunteer “citizen scientists”, like-minded citizens with a passion for science, dissemination, and adventure, guided by our scientists and experts to gather new insights into some of the greatest enigmas of science.
From the Atacama desert to the Amazon rainforest, the team have covered the globe in their scientific explorations. Learn about these expeditions, carried out from 2006 to 2014 before the formal creation of the Polarquest Association.
“Interaction between citizens, scientists and policy makers is essential to enrich research and innovation, and reinforce trust of society in science.”
―
Mariya Gabriel
Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture,
Education and Youth, Citizen Science and Citizen Engagement
meet the team
Our extended team includes professional science communicators, researchers, and sailors, with vast experience in organizing and managing research expeditions at sea, engaging scientists, citizens, and the youth in a variety of innovative research activities. We design and produce communication material, media content (including live streaming), and outreach events to engage the public – along the route and beyond.
CORE TEAM

Paola Catapano
Skipper & Science Communicator
Paola is a multilingual science communicator based at CERN, Geneva, with a master’s in science journalism, and a vast experience in communicating science from remote areas of the planet, including the Arctic and Antarctica. She is also the President of the Polarquest Association and the owner and skipper of Lady Magellan (link).

Rosy Mondardini
Physicist and Citizen Science Guru
Rosy is a scientist and science communicator who fell in love with citizen science. She’s the Director of Research at Citizen Science Zurich, an academic center promoting and supporting citizen participation in research.

Katarina Anthony
Science communicator
Katarina is a science communicator at the ATLAS Experiment at CERN, arctic journalist and website developer.

Gianluca Casagrande
Scientific Coordinator & Drone Pilot
Gianluca is an Associate Professor and the Scientific Director of Geographic Research and Application Laboratory (European University of Rome).

Kevin Monneron
Engineer and Diver
Kevin is an engineer, free diver and a scientific and technical support with a passion for adventure.

Mike Struik
Technical Coordinator & Aerial photographer
Mike is an aeronautical engineer, adventure photographer, arctic reporter, and drone pilot.
YOUNG SCIENTISTS

Safiria Buono
Skipper - Safiria
Safiria performed the microplastic sampling during Polarquest2018. She became an experienced sailor and now supports our activities with expeditions on her own boat.

Valeria Catapano
PhD student in Molecular Biology
Valeria is a PhD student in molecular biology at the University of Geneva. She has been doing e-DNA sampling in the Mediterranean sea, knows how to identify sea turtles with eDNA, and she analysed arctic micro-plastics samples. Her passion for evolutionary biology was sparked by her participation in the MiniDarwin expedition at 11 years.

ELENA GAZZARRINI
Physicists and Science communicator

Jeanne Longlune
Physics Student
Jeanne has a master in Physics Engineering from Ecole Polytechnique de Brussels and started in parallel to my last year of this first master another master in the space track of Cold Climate engineering. Her research focuses on the use of machine learning to accelerate the computations of space debris

Elias Meier
Student Environmental Sciences
Elias Meier is a student of Environmental Sciences with and is prone to outdoor-activities and affinity for eDNA. He will be helping with the eDNA and Methane-CO2 sampling.

Paul Pietzcker
Physics student and Skipper – Blob
Paul is studying physics while being a professional sailor in small boat (Olympic 49er), racing in the German national team until 2022. For his master thesis, he will try to combine scientific experiments with a sailing expedition.
SCIENTISTS & EXPERTS

Stefano Aliani
Microplastic scientist
Stefano Aliani is the scientific leader of the Microplastic project, as well as a marine biologist, Microplastic international expert, and member of POLARNET.

Dominik Palgan
Oceanography & Seafloor mapping expert
Dominik Palgan is a marine geologist & oceanographer from the University of Gdansk, specialist for seafloor mapping, operating Norbit multibeam sonar and analysing data.

Aleksandra Kruss
Oceanographer
A Svalbard veteran working for NORBIT_SUBSEA and CNR ISMAR, Venice, Aleksandra is a an oceanographer and underwater acoustic expert.

DANIEL MCGINNIS
Environmental Engineer, Head of the Aquatis Institute University of Geneva

ELENA VALSECCHI
Marine and environmental scientist, molecular ecologist

Peter Gallinelli
Nanuq Skipper
Naval architect and Genevan explorer Peter Gallinelli, skipper on the Polarquest2018 expedition

Andrea & Chicca Pestarini
Skipper - Durlindana

Valentina Venturi
Green Entrepreneur

Giuseppe Suaria
Senior Scientist
Giuseppe is a senior scientist at CNR-ISMAR in Lerici, Italy. He studies the spatial and temporal patterns of abundance, distribution, composition, transport and accumulation of plastic litter in the marine environment -harmonizing survey methods and sampling techniques for macro and microplastics in offshore marine ecosystems.

Ottavia Fusco Squitieri
Actress, Singer, Sculptress
Ottavia is a recognized actress, singer, sculptress, and producer, with a passion for science. She develops shows and theatre plays to share the beauty of our planet and the need for a more sustainable lifestyle to preserve it.

Melanie Arnold
Communication
With a background in translation, Melanie has always been passionate about bridging gaps—both linguistic and scientific—to make sure that people from different backgrounds can understand difficult scientific concepts.

Micaela Tursi
Communication
Micaela studied Literature, Philology, and AI. She discovered her passion for storytelling through media at the Audiovisual Production team at CERN. This led her to Polarquest: promoting the book Ottantesimo Parallelo sparked her fascination with exploration and sustainability.