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You have set up what has been described as a 鈥�. Tell me more鈥�

Our primary purpose is to connect adventurers with scientists. We do that by asking adventure athletes to collect scientific data while they鈥檙e out hiking, biking, skiing and climbing. Through that, we are providing the scientific community with access to information that they鈥檝e never had before.

What do the adventurers get out of it?

Adventurers are often looking for ways in which they can do more. So this is a service for them as well. They can participate in something more meaningful than just the climb or the hike. We want to change the way everybody spends their time outside so we鈥檙e also running a citizen science project to train the public how to participate in these studies.

What inspired you to set up the service?

In 2004, I hiked the Appalachian Trail and there was one moment when I had fallen and was pretty miserable. I picked up a rock and chucked it at a tree in frustration. It took a big chunk out of that tree. It was a really low point. Most importantly, it made me feel like I was out there doing nothing beneficial for the world or for anyone. So I vowed right there and then that I would make a difference with my time outside.

Tell us about a good pairing you have made.

An ecologist named Roman Dial from Alaska Pacific University studies ice worms. We linked him up with ski mountaineer Clark Corey, who was leading a trip through the Chugach mountains in Alaska and had heard about our programme and wanted to participate. We got Roman some great information that he wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise had the time or resources to get.

And when Justin Lichter and Shawn Forrey hiked from the easternmost to westernmost peaks of the Himalayas, they collected data on bar-headed geese, which migrate over that range.

What projects are under way at the moment?

One we鈥檙e doing now is the millipede project. One of our adventurers is collecting millipedes during an expedition to the Arctic for Bruce Snyder of Kansas State University. They鈥檝e been able to identify a new type of millipede.

Any projects that need volunteers?

Yes. We鈥檙e doing coyote scat collections, monitoring locations and types of roadkill and making high-altitude rock collections from peaks across the globe. There鈥檚 really no limit.

It sounds like the project has really taken off.

I鈥檝e been surprised by how quickly both the adventure and science worlds have gotten on board. We鈥檙e getting new expeditions at a rate that we can鈥檛 keep up with.

Will you be joining in any projects?

In March 2013, I鈥檒l be going with a team of three researchers to study wolverines in Mongolia.