James Dyer

James Dyer is one of the UK’s most respected and experienced expedition leaders. With nearly 30 years of experience working in some of the most challenging and remote environments on the planet, James brings a unique combination of practical field expertise, leadership development, and expedition safety knowledge. He has led and supported journeys through the Amazon, the Arctic, the Sahara, the Andes, the Alps, and across the jungles of Borneo. His role in both designing and delivering expeditions—often with young people and early-career scientists—makes him an ideal advisor for student-led fieldwork.

Over the course of his career, James has served as Operations Manager at the British Exploring Society, where he was responsible for delivering youth expeditions in wilderness environments such as the Peruvian Amazon. He remains closely connected with the organisation today, and is a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and the British Exploring Society. He is also a Leading Practitioner of the Institute for Outdoor Learning and a member of the Arctic Club.

James has extensive experience supporting students and emerging professionals in their development as outdoor leaders, scientists, and explorers. He has a particular talent for making extreme environments feel accessible through calm, confidence-building preparation and immersive, hands-on training. Whether in the classroom, on a windswept hillside, or halfway up a glacier, he helps participants understand not only how to operate safely but also how to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

In Arctic and polar environments, James’s experience is especially deep. He has supported scientific and youth expeditions in regions such as Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and the Canadian Arctic. His knowledge spans all facets of cold-environment operations: cold injuries and frostbite prevention, polar navigation, sled hauling, layering systems, tent management in high wind, and emergency response in white-out conditions. For students preparing for an expedition in polar regions, James is able to offer structured training in everything from personal kit prep and group dynamics to incident management and survival techniques. His practical teaching style—grounded in real-world scenarios—has helped many student groups develop the confidence to travel independently and safely in remote, cold-weather settings.

Beyond his technical skills, James is also a widely respected educator and leadership coach. He delivers experiential programmes focused on values-based leadership, teamwork under pressure, and ethical decision-making. His sessions often blend short outdoor challenges with coaching and reflective practice, and have been adopted by businesses, charities, and schools across the UK. 

James is also a trusted safety advisor for television and film shoots, and has worked with media teams operating in jungles, deserts, mountains, and polar environments. His ability to manage risk while supporting creative or scientific objectives makes him particularly well-suited to supporting student research expeditions that blend academic goals with complex field logistics.

As an advisor to university student expeditions, James offers much more than technical advice. He brings a deep well of experience working with young people in extreme environments, a clear and proven approach to safety, and an infectious passion for exploration. Whether supporting students in planning their first polar journey or helping them respond with confidence when things don’t go to plan, James’s guidance ensures that adventure becomes both possible and transformative.

He is available to support the expedition team with training in Arctic and polar skills, equipment selection, safety planning, and risk management, as well as providing advice during the fieldwork phase as needed.