My name is Saadat Faiz. I’m a graduate student at Miami University pursuing an MA in conservation biology. I’m also an independent writer and filmmaker based in Michigan (my classes are remote!). Over the past few years, I’ve had the awesome opportunity to travel to some of the wildest places on Earth to complete conservation expeditions as part of obtaining my degree, known as Earth Expeditions! I’ve camped in lion and hyena territory in Africa, practiced agroforestry with local farmers in the jungles of Brazil, worked with renowned scientists on extensive species recovery programs and grassland regeneration projects, lived with the Indigenous Maasai people, and much, much more. Apart from my studies, I have also traveled extensively throughout the US, having visited over 40 US states and numerous national parks, including Alaska and Yellowstone National Park.  

Although I was born with an intense passion for wildlife, I initially followed a very normal path in life. I went to college, majoring in a subject that had high job availability and just shooting for a career that made me lots of money. As a result of that, I have a BS in Computer Science from Wayne State University, but I am not looking for a 9-to-5 software developer job.

When I had just two semesters left at Wayne State University, I was so fed up with coding and staring at a screen for 8+ hours a day that I told myself that this was NOT how I would spend the rest of my life! My friends and family encouraged me to power through those last two semesters just to get my degree, so I did. After graduating from WSU, I traveled extensively. Having gained inspiration from reading the book, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, I had been saving up money to do a huge, mostly solo adventure right after graduating from college (Phil did the same thing).

During my travels, I stayed at cheap Airbnbs and hostels, visited numerous animal sanctuaries, trekked through gorgeous national parks, met a wide variety of people, and even slept in my car deep in the forests of northeastern Minnesota where distant wolf howls would keep me awake for most of the night. I’ve been to over 40 US states throughout my life, including the incredible state of Alaska. I share photos and videos of my travels on Instagram.

Upon returning from my adventures, I started a blog, wrote and self-published a book, and created a YouTube channel. I am not the standard businessman—I am an artist. I create things that come from my heart and soul and impact people on an emotional level. Nearly everything I create has the central message of protecting nature.

Below is an image from my latest expedition with a team of researchers, professors, and students, to the forests of Brazil, where we worked with local scientists and community members on numerous community-based conservation efforts:

Miami University’s Project Dragonfly. Summer 2023, Brazil Earth Expedition: Saving Golden Lion Tamarins.

Although I am far from being an alarmist, I cannot deny that we are losing species at an alarming rate. Deforestation, pollution, and intensive agriculture are destroying our planet’s wilderness areas before our very eyes! That is why I wish to create videos, books, and whatever else that will sway public opinion toward supporting the preservation of our wilderness areas in one way or another. I am willing to give my life to this cause because I have fallen irrevocably in love with this planet and the myriad life forms that call it home. However, saving the world is certainly something that cannot be done alone! There are so many people already battling day and night to protect the natural environment, and I want to join in on the battle in my own way. I intend to start a massive conservation project, an ecovillage, that will help protect our planet’s last remaining wilderness areas and inhabitants. Please read about my idea here.