About Me

Enthralled by natural wonders, Brian Anschel is a professional caver, research technician, photographer, and pilot. His career in field research has taken him across the southwestern United States, studying and monitoring deep underground cave networks. He has had the privilege of working with several esteemed organizations, including the National Park Service, NASA, and Bat Conservation International, contributing to our understanding of the natural world.

A 2018 graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with minors in Business and Geology. Notably, he earned his AAUS Scientific Diver certification while conducting research on spiny black sea urchins on the Caribbean Island of Bonaire.

As a technician and guest scientist, Brian lived and worked on-site at Lava Beds National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. His expertise in navigating remote wilderness, rigging and traversing vertical caves, and applying advanced survey techniques makes him uniquely qualified to lead and support research initiatives under the National Park Service’s Natural Resources Division.

In 2019, Brian was invited to assist as a cave environmental specialist for the NASA BRAILLE project (https://www.nasa-braille.org/). The project’s goal was to document lava tube caves on Earth as an analog for environments that could exist on other planets—potentially capable of harboring life or evidence of past life (think microbial, rock-eating bacteria called chemoautotrophs). Lava tube caves on celestial bodies like Mars are considered high-value targets in the search for such evidence.

A lifelong learner, Brian is also a trained wilderness EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). His other certifications include AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Training for snowy backcountry travel, Professional Ski Instructors of America Alpine Level 1, AAUS Scientific and Rescue Diver, and Paraglider P2. Brian enjoys caving, canyoneering, climbing, SCUBA diving, paragliding, backcountry skiing, and backpacking throughout the year.

As a pilot, Brian flies out of KTOA in Torrance, California. He is currently a commercially rated instrument and glider pilot, primarily flying the Sling 2.

Brian resides in Los Angeles, California.