Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza – National Geographic Explorer, Amazon Scientist & Advocate for Indigenous Wisdom and Biodiversity

In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we journey into the heart of the Amazon and the mind of a remarkable woman pushing the boundaries of science, culture, and conservation—Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Rosa is a Peruvian chemical biologist, National Geographic Explorer, UN Harmony with Nature Scientist, and the founder of Amazon Research Internacional.  Splitting her time between Bath, England, and the Peruvian rainforest, Rosa blends cutting-edge research with ancestral knowledge to protect biodiversity and uplift indigenous communities. Her journey—from a curious child growing up in Peru to leading expeditions in the Amazon, researching the legendary Boiling River, studying stingless bees, and authoring The Spirit of the Rainforest—is nothing short of extraordinary. Rosa shares how she learned expedition skills later in life, why documenting indigenous science is crucial, and what it means to be a female scientist navigating international platforms like the UN and COP16. This conversation is packed with insight into climate resilience, overcoming self-doubt, and the healing power of nature, science, and community. Rosa’s message is a powerful call to action for women everywhere: follow the questions that stay in your head—you never know where they may lead.  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x Show notes Who is Dr Rosa Currently living in Bath Being based between England and Peru  Working as a Peruvian scientistic National Geographic Explorer  Leading science and conservation efforts in the Amazon Rainforest  Having a deep connection to her indigenous roots  Her early years living in Peru and relationship with her grandmother Spending time in the city and the mountains Being fascinated by the things she couldn’t understand  Loving space and wanted to know everything about the planet Having a fascination for science Wanting to dedicate her life to the Amazon  Getting her PhD in Chemical Biology from Michigan University  Taking a year off to get more work experience and reconsidering her whole life Being able to study traditional Chineses medicine in Beijing in her last year of undergrad The Amazon Boiling River Ted Talk - Andrés Ruzo  Book: The Boiling River (TED) by Andrés Ruzo   Discovering new microbes in the river Boiling mud  Book: The Spirit of the Rainforest: How indigenous wisdom and scientific curiosity reconnects us to the natural world  What you can expect from the book Learning expeditions skills later on in life Leading her first expedition Chapter 4 - Stingless Bees - the oldest bees on the planet  Capacity building  Partnerships with different indigenous groups Climate challenges Climate Anxiety The importance of indigenous science and making sure that it is documented  Being motivated to write the book  COP16 in October 2024 in Colombia  Dealing with self doubt and why the work is not easy Being a voice with the international press Creating space for female indigenous members Being a good team member The importance of community  Current expeditions and plans for heading back to the field Funding expeditions  Extreme climate explorers BBC - Documenting their work on stingless bees How to find stingless bees Smelling fish in the jungle…. Medicinial Honey?! Comparison to Manuka honey? Her Ayahuasca experience The ego death experience  Chapter 11 - becoming a black jaguar  How to connect with Dr Rosa Final word of advice for women who want to explore more and get into science and exploration Follow the questions that stay in your head You never know where they may lead.   Social Media Website: www.rosavespinoza.com  Instagram: @rosavespinoza Facebook: @rosavespinoza9  TikTok: @rosavespinoza  YouTube: @rosavespinoza