Born: 1972

Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience

Occupation: Neuroecologist

Expeditions: Caves in China, Mexico, Ecuador, and USA

Favorite Places: Galloping through an open field and cave diving in a clear spring

Best Discoveries: That some cave fishes have teeth on their backs to detect water flow and that alligators have dots on their faces to deter water ripples

Favorite Item In The Field: A camera, so as to photograph everything

Personal Hero: Eugenie Clark, “The Shark Lady”

Hobbies: Horses and art

Website: www.soares.squarespace.com

Advice: Dive to dive another day.