“I swim through the veins of Mother Earth,” says Jill Heinerth.

She also films them, bringing the world’s underwater channels to the rest of us who aren’t daring cave divers. From the inner caverns of Antarctic icebergs to deeply submerged mine tunnels, Heinerth has explored parts of the earth that have seen fewer visitors than the moon.

This year, the living legend became the inaugural Explorer-in-Residence for The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, of which she is also a Fellow. 

Part of that role involves engaging the next generation to embrace geography and exploration. In the video below, Heinerth discusses how she uses her camera to capture the secrets found inside our planet – whether it’s a new species, an impact of climate change or just a beautiful scene – and then her public speaking to share those secrets with the rest of the world.

“My goal is to empower young Canadians to pursue and investigate all possibilities,” Heinerth says. “We are, every one of us, explorers-in-residence.”