Andrés Ruzo | Peru’s Boiling River

Andrés is a geoscientist, conservationist, author, science communicator and educator, who became the first scientist granted permission to study the Boiling River of the Amazon in 2011. A tri-citizen, Andrés grew up between Peru, Nicaragua, and the United States, all countries where he now has active projects. His primary geoscientific focus is in the field of volcanology and geothermal studies, looking to understand geothermal systems for academic, conservation, and geothermal energy exploration. Ultimately, he believes that environmental responsibility and economic prosperity can go hand in hand, and uses his work to unite both aims. Andrés believes that education serves as the catalyst to this goal, and he works with elementary through higher education on a weekly basis, giving talks, workshops, and short courses, as well as actively contributing to National Geographic Learning educational materials. He is also the Founder and Director of the “Boiling River Project,” a non-profit dedicated to understanding and protecting the sacred Boiling River of the Amazon (i.e., the Shanay-timpishka Geothermal System) by bringing together modern science, conservation economics, and traditional Amazonian knowledge.