FOR THE AUDIO-ONLY RECORDING, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST
ON SPOTIFY, APPLE ITUNES, AND OTHER PLATFORMS
The Amazon breathes life into the Ocean. Through airborne rivers, nutrient cycles, and unseen pathways of energy and water, these two great bodies—Forest and Ocean—are intimately intertwined.
In this opening session of our Ocean Conversation Series, we are joined by Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza—Peruvian chemical biologist, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning artist. Raised between Lima and the edge of the Amazon jungle, Rosa’s work bridges Indigenous knowledge and modern science in service of biodiversity, conservation, and cultural resilience.
This intimate, conversational session explores the nutrient flows between forest and sea, the role of traditional ecological knowledge in scientific understanding, and the art of storytelling as a pathway for ecological healing and reconnection.
We also glimpse Rosa’s personal journey—her grandmother’s backyard “natural pharmacy,” her pioneering research on the Boiling River and medicinal stingless bees, and the global ecosystems that have shaped her vision. Her newly published book, The Spirit of the Rainforest, weaves these threads into an immersive journey through the Amazon—science, spirit, and story entwined.
This is a conversation about relationship and reciprocity. A chance to listen to the waters—of land, sea, and self.
About Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a Peruvian chemical biologist, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning artist whose work bridges Indigenous knowledge and modern science to protect biodiversity and uplift rainforest communities. Founder of Amazon Research Internacional, Rosa has led groundbreaking studies on extreme ecosystems, including the Boiling River and medicinal stingless bees, while advocating for policies that honor the intrinsic value of Nature.
With Andean-Amazonian roots and global research spanning from the Amazon to Yellowstone and Alaska, Rosa integrates science, storytelling, and ancestral wisdom to foster deeper connection with the living world. Her recently published book, The Spirit of the Rainforest, offers an immersive journey into Amazonian ecology, culture, and healing.
Explore More Ocean Offerings
This webinar is part of a larger collective offering from the Organization of Nature Evolutionaries. Visit the main Ocean page to explore the full Ocean Conversation Series, join the Ocean Gratitude Ceremony, and enjoy spoken stories, poetry, recipes, and other ways to connect with the living Ocean.
→ Return to the main Ocean page
Conversation Series Schedule
Amazon to Ocean: The Currents That Connect Us, September 16th
Featuring Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza, Peruvian chemical biologist, Author, and NatGeo Explorer
➡️Replay
The Plastic Crisis & Our Interconnected Ocean, September 23rd
Featuring Rachel Bustamante, Ocean Advocate and Environmental Campaign Coordinator
Tamara Adame, Scientific Diver and Anti-Plastics Activist
➡️Replay
Whale Kinship: Stories of Love and Evolution, October 14th
Featuring Pat McCabe, (Weyakpa Najin Win, Woman Stands Shining)—Diné mother, Grandmother, Activist, and Ceremonial Leader
➡️Register Here
Herring Protectors, October 23rd
Featuring K’asheechtlaa Louise Brady, Tlingit Nation, Kiks.ádi (Raven Moiety – Frog Clan), from Sheet’ká Kwaan (Sitka, Alaska), and leader of the Indigenous-led group Herring Protectors
➡️Register Here
Ocean Voices: A Journey into Intuitive Interspecies Communication, November 11th
Special 2-hour interactive webinar workshop on Intuitive Interspecies Communication and how this is being implemented to support Ocean health and research. Featuring Dr. Lynne Shannon, Wynter Worsthorne, Eleni Gkikakis, & Christine Noble Seller
➡️Register Here
When the Ocean Has Rights: Sea Turtles and People, November 18th
Featuring Callie Veelenturf — Marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer, and Founder of The Leatherback Project.
And Michelle Bender — Ocean Rights expert and international environmental lawyer.
➡️Register Here
