Dr. Paige Maroni
Expedition Scientist
Expertise
Polar deep-sea; marine molecular biology; evolution; benthic biodiversity; phylogenetics; invertebrates.
Passion
Exploration and discovery in service of ocean conservation.
Impact
Since 2024, Paige has partnered with Secret Atlas, on polar expeditions to Svalbard and Greenland.
Paige’s work has already led to astonishing discoveries, including previously unidentified underwater species. She is also pioneering tools to sequence genomes of deep-sea organisms in remote locations, helping to decode the evolutionary story of some of the ocean’s least-known life forms.
Discover the mysteries of the deep and how Dr. Paige Maroni and Secret Atlas are transforming polar science - Read the article here
“Exploration creates responsibility.”
— Dr Paige Maroni
About Dr. Paige Maroni
Paige Maroni PhD is a polar and deep-sea biologist whose work is expanding what is possible in some of Earth’s most remote and least accessible marine environments. Her discoveries on hadal amphipods, abyssal snailfish, Antarctic invertebrates, and Arctic ecosystems reflect her belief that exploration carries a responsibility: to seek understanding, to return with knowledge, and to share it openly.
Paige is the co-founder and director of Polar BLAST, a research initiative that transforms vessels of opportunity into platforms for Arctic and Antarctic exploration uniting advanced subsea technology with species discovery, policy engagement, and public outreach. Through this work, she ensures that every voyage delivers meaningful science, rigorous data, and accelerates biodiversity discovery while striving to broaden participation and inspire others to understand and protect the world around them.
On MV Freya, in July 2024, the relationship was the other way around. Paige and Tim were aboard for the entire expedition, for their research project Polar BLAST, (Baseline, Life, and Structure of the Arctic) a research initiative designed to map Arctic biodiversity and assess ecosystem health.
Yachts for Science and Secret Atlas
Our oceans are under unprecedented pressure. With less than 20% of the ocean floor mapped, countless species still undiscovered, and marine studies crucial to climate change research, there has never been a more critical time to encourage oceanic research and explore responsibly.
By supporting this initiative, Secret Atlas and our guests play a direct role in protecting the ocean, while scientists gain invaluable access to regions they might not otherwise reach. Together, we can help unlock a better understanding of the marine world and promote a more sustainable future for our seas.
"By working alongside Secret Atlas, we can explore places most scientists could never reach, gathering critical data without the need for expensive research vessels" — Dr. Paige Maroni
Questions & Answers
My most transformative travel experience
My most transformative travel experience was diving in a manned submersible to the bottom of Japan Trench (7,500 metres), 2022.
Looking through the small porthole at the Pacific Plate—rock that had been travelling across the ocean floor for more than 130 million years before being drawn into the trench—was profoundly humbling. Sitting on the seabed, in one of the deepest and least accessible places on Earth, I felt both incredibly small and incredibly fortunate. I was witnessing a part of our planet that very few people have ever seen, and that most people never will.
What made the experience truly transformative, however, was not the depth itself. Among the unique geological features and deep-sea life, one of the most common things I saw was plastic debris. Seeing evidence of human impact in such a remote and extraordinary environment fundamentally changed my perspective. It reinforced both the fragility of our oceans and the responsibility we have to protect them. The experience strengthened my commitment to exploration, scientific discovery and conservation, and continues to shape the work I do today.
My exploration inspiration
The discovery of PCR. I love the idea that one of the most influential scientific breakthroughs of the last century began with a simple question that transformed our ability to understand life on Earth. It is a reminder that exploration is not just about travelling to the unknown, it is about recognising possibilities that others have yet to see.
My dream adventure
To ride horseback across Tajikistan, to circumnavigate Antarctica or to dive to the bottom of the Macquarie Ridge Complex.
Expeditions coming soon
We are currently working on the upcoming schedule.
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