SETI 2024 - Exclusive Science Cruises with Swan Hellenic

THE SETI INSTITUTE

Have you ever wondered about extra-terrestrial life? You’re not on your own if you have: the SETI Institute is a space and earth science research organization, and part of their work is looking for forms of life within and beyond our solar system! The SETI Institute also supports other organizations, including NASA and the National Science Foundation, in answering some of humanity’s most profound scientific questions.

“The SETI Institute’s work brings humanity’s relationship with our planet, our solar system and the Universe beyond into focus.”

Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute

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LOOKING FOR LIFE

Exclusive presentations about the SETI Institute explorations of the Earth and beyond.

A GROWING SEARCH

Unique scientific demonstrations with equipment installed on board.

MEET THE SCIENTISTS

Have the rare chance to chat with these world-renowned scientific experts.

LIFE BEYOND EARTH

In our partnership with the SETI Institute, we aim to provide you with expert insights into the fascinating world of astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology and planetary science – and the ongoing quest to find other forms of life within and beyond our solar system.

“ We’re delighted with the opportunity to have our scientists and thought leaders interact with

the curious minded adventurers who explore with Swan Hellenic ”

Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute

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MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Simon George

SETI Institute Experimental Research Scientist

Dr. Simon George, SETI astrobiologist, explores the chemistry of life with a focus on metals such as iron, nickel, and molybdenum. His work includes developing instruments to study extremophiles—organisms thriving in extreme environments—and investigating how ancient metal-containing enzymes powered early life. With a career spanning national labs, academia, and industry, he now leads research into the role of metals in life’s origins and the broader search for biology elsewhere in the universe.

SH Vega, 18 - 29 May, 2026

Steve Cramer

SETI Institute Senior Research Scientist

Dr. Stephen Cramer, Advanced Light Source Professor emeritus at UC Davis and senior scientist at the SETI Institute, studies how metals like iron, nickel, and molybdenum drive key biological processes. Beginning his x-ray research at Stanford in 1974, he now conducts experiments at synchrotrons worldwide and in SETI’s laser lab. Since 2018, he has focused on extremophile proteins and their adaptations, and he is author of Wrong! – How Science Has Always Been Wrong But Still Gets Closer to the Truth.

SH Vega, 29 May - 9 June, 2026

Orkan Umurhan

SETI Institute Mathematical Physicist and Planetary Scientist

Dr. Orkan Umurhan, mathematical physicist and planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, studies planet formation and icy landscapes from Earth to Pluto. A NASA mission scientist on New Horizons, he investigates how dust and gas form planets and develops new comet mission concepts. He is writing a book on cosmic turbulence and is a passionate science communicator. Beyond research, he’s a musician and baseball dad who enjoys exploring Earth’s wild landscapes with his partner and son.

SH Vega, 29 June - 7 July, 2026

Eduardo Bendek

SETI Institute Senior Optical Scientist

Dr. Eduardo Bendek, Senior Optical Scientist at the SETI Institute/NASA Ames, has 20+ years of expertise in astronomical instrumentation, adaptive optics, and exoplanet detection. He has advanced diffractive pupil astrometry, coronagraphy, and wavefront control, contributing to projects from the VLT and MMT Observatory to NASA Ames and JPL. At SETI, he develops integrated photonics coronagraphs and high-precision astrometry for missions like Roman CGI and the future Habitable Worlds Observatory.

SH Vega, 15 - 27 August, 2026

Bill Diamond

SETI Institute President and CEO

Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute, is a Silicon Valley technology leader with 30+ years in laser photonics, optical communications, X-ray imaging, and semiconductor tech. Before joining SETI, he held executive roles from startups to Fortune 100 firms, including CEO posts at WaveSplitter, Denselight, and Xradia, and President of COMET USA. He holds a B.A. in physics and an MBA from Georgetown, and serves on scientific and business boards advancing research and innovation.

SH Diana, 17 - 28 August, 2026

Marziye Jafariyazani

SETI Institute Data Scientist for NASA’s TESS Mission

Dr. Marziye Jafariyazani, Data Scientist at the SETI Institute, works on NASA’s TESS Mission at Ames, analyzing stellar light curves to identify exoplanets. Previously, during her Ph.D. and postdoctoral research at UC Riverside, Carnegie Observatories, and Caltech/IPAC, she studied distant galaxies—their star formation, chemical makeup, and evolution. Now, she applies her expertise in stellar data to uncover new worlds within our own galaxy.

SH Vega, 27 August - 3 September, 2026

Jeffrey C. Smith

SETI Institute - Principal Investigator / Data Scientist

Dr. Smith began in accelerator physics, building a cyclotron at Knox, earning a Ph.D. at Cornell on the ILC, and advancing work at SLAC on ILC design and LHC upgrades. He later transitioned to astrophysics, developing planet detection algorithms for NASA’s Kepler and TESS missions, which discovered thousands of exoplanets. Now, he leads a NASA Planetary Defense project, creating automated pipelines to detect bolides in satellite data and assess risks from potentially hazardous asteroid impacts.

SH Vega, 14 November - 1 December, 2025

Peter Tenenbaum

SETI Institute TESS Lead Software Engineer

Peter Tenenbaum, Senior Research Scientist at the SETI Institute, has worked on exoplanet discovery with NASA’s Kepler and TESS missions. At Kepler, he developed tools for detector alignment and planet candidate detection, contributing to the discovery of thousands of exoplanets. At TESS, he became Lead Software Engineer for the mission’s data pipeline at Ames and now adapts this software for other large-scale science missions. Earlier, he spent 20 years at SLAC and CERN working on particle accelerators.

SH Diana, 7 - 16 September, 2026

Cristina Dalle Ore

SETI Institute Senior Scientist

Cristina Morea Dalle Ore, Senior Scientist at the SETI Institute, is a planetary scientist specializing in icy worlds. She has contributed to NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and Cassini mission to Saturn, with her discovery of ammonia on Pluto marking a key breakthrough. Holding a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from UC Santa Cruz, she shares her research through TEDx and global science forums, while also connecting the mysteries of distant icy landscapes to those found here on Earth.

SH Vega, 17 - 30 September, 2026

Michael Lam

SETI Institute Research Scientist

Michael Lamis, research scientist at the SETI Institute, is part of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav). He earned his Ph.D. at Cornell, held a postdoc at West Virginia University, and was an assistant professor at RIT. His research spans radio astronomy, pulsar observations, interstellar gas physics, and gravitational wave detection, connecting multiple fields to study the universe’s most fundamental phenomena.

SH Diana, 28 August - 7 September, 2026

Thomas Esposito

SETI Institute Research Astronomer

Dr. Tom Esposito, SETI research astronomer, specializes in exoplanets, young systems, and high-energy cosmic events. After his UCLA Ph.D., he advanced planetary system imaging at UC Berkeley. At SETI, he leads NASA-Unistellar projects verifying TESS exoplanets and studying supernovae, while supervising campaigns for 15k+ telescopes. As Sky Mapper’s Chief Scientific Officer, he develops space observation programs, from satellite monitoring to citizen science, uniting professionals and amateurs worldwide.

SH Vega, 30 March - 8 April, 2026