Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Mireya Mayor.
Hi Dr. Mayor, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am an explorer, a scientist, a twice-nominated Emmy award TV host, a best-selling author, and a recognized science communicator. But my path to becoming a Fulbright Scholar, NSF Fellow, and earning recognition as a world-renowned primatologist is far from typical.
My life story begins growing up on the streets of Little Havana where as the only daughter of Cuban immigrants, I spent my childhood climbing mango trees and exploring what little nature I could find in my small backyard. As if my city upbringing, love of fashion, and make-up weren’t already the antithesis of how people regard a scientist, or an intrepid explorer, then certainly my being an NFL Cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins was. But despite the pink heels and nail polish, my love of exploration, the discovery of a new species, and regular pictures of me waist-deep in the swamp have even earned me the nickname “Female Indiana Jones” by the media.
At 22 years old, while obtaining my undergraduate degree at the University of Miami, and after 4 years of professionally cheering for the Dolphins, I ventured into the most remote and unexplored jungles of the Amazon in search of a rare and little-known species of monkey. The only connection between my city roots and the jungles I set off to explore, was my curiosity and love of animals.
I had never left the country and had never even been camping. I spent several months living out of a dugout canoe, sleeping in hammocks, and sharing meals often including kasiri, a fermented alcoholic beverage essentially made from cassava and spit by the Amerindians in Guyana. There was no electricity, no running water, malaria was prevalent, and I was bitten by a vampire bat and very nearly by a fer-de-lance, one of the most venomous snakes in South America. I then developed a systemic blood infection and nearly died.
I was hooked. It was during my hospital stay, recovering from a severe and mysterious blood infection that I saw an article in TIME magazine about the 25 most endangered primates. Not only had those lemurs never been studied, they had also never even been photographed. So I headed to Madagascar, the only place lemurs are found.
At just 23, I was offered a position as National Geographic’s first female wildlife correspondent and have since hosted dozens of documentaries, including my own Nat Geo Wild! series, Wild Nights with Mireya Mayor, and Mark Burnett’s Expedition Africa for the History Channel.
I currently star in Discovery Channel’s hit series, Expedition Bigfoot which is about to premiere its fourth season. In 2019 I joined Florida International University (FIU) and am now serving as the Executive Director for Strategic Projects and events bringing scientists and experts together to talk about pertinent environmental and global issues and inspiring the next generation of change makers.
I have made numerous appearances on the “Today” show, MSNBC, CNN, and Despierta America and have been profiled in People, Marie Claire, Latina, National Geographic Adventure, Vanidades, and Elle magazines. I am also the author of a best-selling book, Pink Boots and a Machete: My Journey From NFL Cheerleader to National Geographic Explorer.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like many women do to be taken seriously in male-dominated fields, I played down my femininity at the beginning of my career. But it never felt authentic. I decided to not just stop hiding it, I began flaunting it.
I dressed the way I wanted, wore makeup, and curled my hair, even in the field—the antithesis of what you’d expect from a scientist.
At the televisual forefront, you typically see kaki-clad men. I wanted women and especially young girls to know that they too are represented and for nearly 3 decades the media has referred to me as the “Female Indiana Jones”.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I obtained a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Stony Brook University and specialize in primates. I am now known for exploring the most remote regions of the earth in search of elusive, rare, and little-known animals. Some of the animals I study have never even been photographed.
My explorations have led to several scientific discoveries, most notably my co-discovery in Madagascar of the world’s smallest primate, a brand new species to science. I now share my stories with audiences around the world, frequently giving lectures in hopes of inspiring people to care more about the planet.
I also oversee the Women Explorers Program at FIU, which empowers the future generation of young women explorers. One of my favorite parts of my career is being able to share my adventures with children so I am also proud to be the subject of a new children’s book, Just Wild Enough!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was very curious and adventurous as a child with a deep love for nature and animals. I am very much still that little girl and find that those traits are at the heart of exploration and science.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mireyamayor.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mireyamayor?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mireyamayorTV
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mireyamayor
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mireyamayor?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mireyamayor
- Other: https://www.cameo.com/mireyamayor
Image Credits
Brent Stirton, Mark Thiessen, Matt Donovan, and Kemalettin Sert
