#46
Researcher Spotlight: Giancarlo Gallinoro — Bringing Arctic Exploration and Science Together

Following the Arctic's Hidden Trails

Some people are drawn north by the promise of adventure. Others are drawn by the pursuit of knowledge.

Giancarlo Gallinoro began with the first and found himself inevitably embracing the second. He discovered something that generations of polar travellers have learned before him: each journey north reveals more of the Arctic's complexity and raises new questions waiting to be answered. In the polar regions, exploration and science have always been intertwined, and the two have become closely linked in Giancarlo's own journey.

A Childhood Shaped by Wild Places

Long before he was guiding expeditions through the ice-choked fjords of Svalbard and Greenland, Giancarlo was a boy roaming the mountains of Italy. Raised by parents who believed childhood belonged outdoors, he spent weekends skiing, hiking, camping, and exploring nature from an early age. Those years taught him confidence, patience, and perhaps most importantly, curiosity, the same qualities that still define him today.

His parents encouraged independence. In the 1990s, children were often given the freedom to wander and learn from experience, and the mountains became his playground. Looking back, Giancarlo sees those early adventures as the foundation for everything that followed.

Finding a Home in Svalbard

The road north was not entirely straightforward. Like many people who feel most at home in wild places, Giancarlo briefly attempted a more conventional life.

"I tried getting a more conventional  job. That didn't work for me."

Instead, he followed the instinct that had quietly guided him for years.

Determined to make a life in the North, he trained as an Arctic guide and began working around Longyearbyen in the interior before eventually moving into expedition cruising. After an early experience aboard larger vessels left him convinced there had to be a better way to introduce people to the polar world, he discovered Secret Atlas and its small-ship philosophy.

Persistence Pays Off

In characteristic fashion, he did not simply submit an application and wait.

" I checked in frequently with Michele D’Agostino, CEO of Secret Atlas. It took a year, but finally he said: ‘Alright, I'll give you a shot.' "

Today, that persistence has paid off.

That opportunity came aboard Freya in 2022. It proved to be a turning point. The close guest interaction, expedition micro cruise model, and spirit of genuine exploration were exactly what he had been searching for.

More Than an Expedition Leader

It is not difficult to understand why.

Giancarlo occupies a rare intersection of talents. He is an expedition leader, professional photographer, educator, natural storyteller, and now an active field researcher conducting scientific investigations in the Arctic. Equally at home discussing wildlife behaviour, glaciology, photography, and conservation, he has an exceptional ability to make complex subjects both accessible and engaging.

Those who travel with him often remark on another skill that cannot be taught in a classroom: his instinctive understanding of the expedition experience itself. He knows when to explain, when to listen, and when to simply let the Arctic speak for itself.

Behind the Helm of a Zodiac

On the water, he is also an expert Zodiac driver. Whether threading safely through a maze of icebergs, positioning guests for the perfect wildlife encounter, or quietly approaching a glacier face glowing blue beneath the midnight sun, he handles a Zodiac with confidence, judgement, and remarkable skill.

Guests quickly learn that when Giancarlo is at the helm, they are in capable hands.

Those who have travelled with him often remark on the same qualities. He never rushes a wildlife encounter. He lingers when conditions allow. He gives guests time to absorb what they are witnessing, whether it is a glacier calving into a fjord, a pod of whales surfacing beside the ship, or a polar bear moving silently across the ice.

It is a style of guiding rooted in patience, humility, and genuine enthusiasm for the natural world.

Exploration and Discovery Have Always Travelled Together

Since the earliest days of polar exploration, science has accompanied adventure.

The great expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic did not venture into the unknown simply to place flags on maps. They carried botanists, geologists, oceanographers, meteorologists, and naturalists. Discovery was measured not only in miles travelled, but in knowledge gained.

Giancarlo's research follows that same tradition.

Expedition Cruising as a Platform for Research

Many of the world's most fascinating places remain poorly studied, not because scientists lack interest, but because access is difficult and expensive. Yet expedition vessels regularly travel into precisely these remote regions. For Giancarlo, that reality presented an opportunity.

"The idea for my research emerged from having access to these environments, something  that many scientists don't have."

Rather than viewing expedition travel and scientific research as separate pursuits, he saw a way to bring them together.

Science in the Field, Not Just the Laboratory

Working alongside specialist laboratories, Giancarlo developed a project specifically designed for expedition operations. Sampling needed to be fast, practical, non-invasive, and capable of fitting seamlessly into the rhythm of a voyage.

The result is a system that allows water samples to be collected directly from a Zodiac and analysed while exploring Svalbard's fjords, without disrupting the guest experience.

In fact, it often enhances it.

Guests Become Part of the Research Team

One of the most remarkable aspects of the project is that guests can become part of the process.

While Giancarlo prepares filters and sampling equipment, guests often become members of the field team. One person records water temperature and salinity. Another tracks GPS coordinates. Someone photographs the sampling site while others help manage equipment aboard the Zodiac.

Mapping the Future of Arctic Ecosystems

The long-term goal of Giancarlo's project is straightforward but ambitious.

Many of Svalbard's fjords lack comprehensive biological baselines. In some areas, scientists still do not have a complete picture of which species are present, making it difficult to track how Arctic ecosystems are changing over time. 

By collecting eDNA samples across multiple fjord systems, Giancarlo hopes to begin building that foundation. Over time, the data may reveal biodiversity hotspots, identify ecological differences between glacier-fed and non-glacial fjords, and provide valuable reference points for future researchers.

This summer's work represents the pilot phase. The objective is to sample ten fjords across Svalbard. From those results, Giancarlo hopes to produce scientific publications and secure additional funding that will allow the project to expand in future years.