Marina Elliott is a biological anthropologist interested in the Human Journey – how, why, and when humans became who we are today. She holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and archaeology from Simon Fraser University and has excavated ancient human remains in Western Canada, the USA, Spain, Africa, and Siberia. She has also assisted with modern forensic investigations in Canada, the USA, and Switzerland and was a visiting scientist intern at the Office of the New York Medical Examiner in New York. In 2013 she became one of six “Underground Astronauts” on the Rising Star Expedition, which led to the naming of a new hominin species, Homo naledi. From 2014-2019 Marina led further excavations at the Rising Star site and researched Homo naledi and other early hominins. Returning to Canada in 2020, Marina now teaches at Mount Royal University in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and continues researching our collective past. She is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and a National Geographic Explorer.