Table of contents for 2022 in The Explorers 50

CORPORATE PATRON OF EXPLORATION Rolex ADDITIONAL EC50 SUPPPORT Fjällräven Richard & Laetitia Garriott de Cayeux Daniel & Lois Kobal FOUNDING CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE Discovery Communications COMMITTEE FOR THE EXPLORERS 50.2 PROJECT Joseph Rohde, Co-Chair Richard Wiese, Co-Chair Jeff Blumenfeld Marc Bryan-Brown Brandi DeCarli Kim Frank JR Harris John Houston Alexa Sutton Lawrence Juan Martinez Nancy Nenow Nancy Rosenthal Jalsa Urubshurow MEMBERS NOMINATING AWARDEES Benjamin Alterman Maggie Amsler Callie Broaddus Matthew Desantis Constance Difede David Dolan Paul Fiann Kellie Gerardi Joe Grabowski Mark Hannaford David Harrison Emily Hazelwood Ted Janulis Ken Lacovara Ramón Larramendi Alexa Sutton Lawrence Sam Meacham Rodrigo Medellin Nancy Nenow Paul Niel Martin Nweeia Kyle Obermann Ann Passer Steve Pigott Milbry Polk Joshua Powell Tim Radke Buffy Redsecker Johan Reinhard Joe Rohde Nancy…

The Explorers Club 50 may well be the most important initiative our club has ever undertaken. I do not make this statement lightly. For 118 years now, we have promoted exploration by all means. For 40 years we have welcomed and promoted female explorers. The Explorers Club was one of the first major organizations to celebrate Matthew Henson alongside Robert Perry for their Famous First to the North Pole. This year, we are celebrating their four Inuit guides named Egingwah, Ooqueah, Ootah, and Seeglo, as well. I am proud that our club is working hard to recognize the full historical record. As important as it is to get the history right, it is even more important to build the best foundation for the future. Our club was founded by, and…

It takes one person to change what is possible. In the following pages you will read about 50 Explorers changing the boundaries of possibility. They are the promise of hope and equity fulfilled. The term explorer is not limited to one gender identity, race, socio-economic standing, or any other term, because it is that same diversity in our world that feeds innovation and the aspiration to reach new limits. Each one of the new 50 explorers is an individual who understands our responsibility to three things: to inspire others to seek out the best version of the world for future generations; to acknowledge the history and legacy of ideas and places that make today possible; and to translate the impossible into reality. In my life, exploration is a consistent rhythm…

JOIN THE “EXPLORERS IMMORTALS” AND ENGRAVE YOUR NAME OR DEDICATION IN STONE ON NEW PAVERS FOR THE LEFRAK TERRACE AT EXPLORERS CLUB HEADQUARTERS. ADORN OUR LANDMARK OUTDOOR SPACE AND HELP PAY FOR URGENT WORK FOR PHASE II RENOVATIONS BY MAKING A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DO-NATION OF $3,750 PER DEDICATED PAVER TO OUR LOWELL THOMAS BUILDING FUND. THE EXPLORERS CLUB WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING WHO HAVE PURCHASED A PAVER: Mark Allio, Joanna Allman, James H. Alexander, John G. Alexander, Darlene T. Anderson, Jeanne D. Andlinger, Barbara Annan, Robert J. Aresty, Robert Ashton, Atlanta Chapter, Robert J. Atwater, Norman L. Baker, Andreas Bender, Josh Bernstein, John Bierley, Bruce Blanchard, John R. Bockstoce, Brian M. Boom, John R. Boreske, Jr., Jill Botway, Gary W. Bowersox, Lawson W. Brigham, Rosalie Brinton, Diane Britz-Lotti, Charles…

DR. IVÁN BATÚN IS A NATIVE MAYA FROM COZUMEL, MÉXICO. HE IS AN ARCHAEOLOGY PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSIDAD DE ORIENTE IN VALLADOLID, YUCATAN, AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL. HIS CURRENT RESEARCH IS WITH A TEAM OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS EXPLORING THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE MAYA LIVING BEFORE AND AFTER THE SPANISH INVASION. LARGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES SUCH AS CHICHEN ITZA, COBA, EKBALAM, AND CULUBA ARE AREAS WHERE BATÚN HAS BEEN EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONTEMPORARY MAYA COMMUNITIES AND THEIR BIOCULTURAL RESOURCES, ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, CENOTES, ANIMALS, PL ANTS AND CHANGING PAT TERNS DUE TO MODERN CLIMATE CHANGE. As all children in México, I was educated within the ideology of Mexican nationals, with no identification of Mayan culture. I never visited an archaeological site or a museum. I visited Tulum,…

GEORGE BEY HOLDS THE CHISHOLM CHAIR AT MILLSAPS COLLEGE. HE IS A MAYA ARCHAEOLOGIST WHO HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT FIELDWORK SINCE 1984 IN THE TROPICAL ECO-SYSTEMS OF YUCATAN, MEXICO. HE SEES ARCHAEOLOGY AS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR SUPPORTING CULTURAL HERITAGE AND BIOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY. TO MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY, HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES CREATED THE KAXIL KIUIC BIOCULTURAL RESERVE, 4500 ACRES OF PROTECTED DRY TROPICAL FOREST. AS PRESIDENT, HE SUPPORTS PROGRAMS FROM EXCAVATION TO COMMUNITY REFORESTATION AND JAGUAR CONSERVATION. BEY IS DEDICATED TO UNDERSTANDING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MAYA CIVILIZATION WHILE WORKING WITH SURROUNDING CONTEMPORARY MAYA COMMUNITIES AND OTHERS. I have contributed to our understanding of the rise and fall of Maya civilization, especially the Maya of northern Yucatan, and have shown how archaeology can be used to…

ERICK CEDEÑO WAS BORN IN PANAMA CITY AND RAISED IN MIAMI. HE GRADUATED FROM BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY. HIS PHILOSOPHY IS TO EXPLORE EVERYTHING. HE HAS SET OUT TO DO JUST THAT BUT ON TWO WHEELS. AFTER A BICYCLE TOUR FROM VANCOUVER TO TIJUANA, HE TRAVELED FROM MIAMI BEACH TO NEW YORK CITY. IN 2014 AND 2020 HE RODE FROM NEW ORLEANS TO NIAGARA FALLS, FOLLOWING THE HISTORIC PATH OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ERICK SERVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR BIKEPACKING ROOTS AND THE ADVENTURE CYCLING ASSOCIATION. My mother has been my biggest inspiration. She would encourage me, and she never limited my curiosity to see the world. When I was 12, she took me to explore the history and temples of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, which changed me to…

EMILY HAZELWOOD IS A MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST WORKING TO SOLVE THE ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH REPURPOSING OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS PLATFORMS AS ARTIFICIAL REEFS THROUGH THE RIGS TO REEFS PROGRAM. EMILY’S RESEARCH IS BASED IN CREATIVE THINKING COMMITTED TO CHANGING THE WAY SOCIETY THINKS ABOUT CONSERVING OCEAN RESOURCES. EMILY’S WORK STRETCHES FROM THE SEA SURFACE, USING STEREO-VIDEO TECHNOLOGY TO EXAMINE MARINE ABUNDANCE ON OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORMS, TO USING REMOTE-OPERATED VEHICLES TO STUDY THE BIODIVERSITY FOUND ON PIPELINES 5,000-FEET DEEP. SHE IS A CO-FOUNDER OF BLUE LATITUDES AND CO-PRESIDENT OF THE BLUE LATITUDES FOUNDATION, My work disseminating scientific research to the public has helped me to develop an intrinsic understanding of the need to unite traditionally opposed stakeholder groups, such as environmentalists and energy companies, to work together to find innovative…

SALIMA IKRAM IS A DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF EGYPTOLOGY AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO AND RESEARCH FELLOW AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. SHE HAS WORKED AS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST IN EGYPT, TURKEY AND SUDAN, AND IN MUSEUMS IN EGYPT, EUROPE, AND THE USA. SHE CO-DIRECTED THE PREDYNASTIC GALLERY PROJECT AND THE NORTH KHARGA OASIS SURVEY, AND DIRECTS THE ANIMAL MUMMY PROJECT, THE NORTH KHARGA OASIS DARB AIN AMUR SURVEY, AND THE AMENMESSES PROJECT-KV10/KV63 IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS. A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, SHE HAS PUBLISHED IN BOTH SCHOLARLY AND POPULAR VENUES FOR ALL AGES. Exploration, excavation, and discovering new archaeological sites and information are always the most fun parts of my job. Being the first person to enter a tomb in 2400 years…

PANINNGUAQ LIND JENSEN HAS RESEARCHED AND WORKED WITH TUNNIIT, TRADITIONAL INUIT MARKINGS, SINCE 2016. THE NUMBERS OF MARKED INUIT IN GREENLAND HAVE GROWN TO MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE. PANINNGUAQ IS WORKING ON EIGHT CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO MAKE INUIT CHILDREN AWARE OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TRADITIONS WITHIN THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. SHE IS ALSO CO-WORKING ON A DECOLONIZATION ANTHOLOGY. SHE HAS MADE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HOW LOCAL PEOPLE, HUNTERS, FISHERMEN, REINDEER HERDERS AND SHEEP FARMERS LIVING NEARBY WERE AFFECTED BY THE MINE THAT CONTAINED RADIOACTIVE SOILS. I have been sharing knowledge with every person I have marked. It is important for me that they know exactly what they received. Inuit are amazing storytellers so they should have the honor of passing on the knowledge to their closest friends and family. It…

STEFANO LIVI HOLDS A PHD IN SPACE PHYSICS AND WORKS AS INSTITUTE SCIENTIST FOR SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. HE COLLABORATES WITH NASA AND EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY ON MANY PROJECTS TO EXPLORE THE SUN AND ALL THE PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM. HIS FIRST PHD IN PHYSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORENCE, WAS WORKING AT MAX-PLANK INSTITUT FUER AERONOMIE IN KATLENBURG-LINDAU (GERMANY) TO DEVELOP ULYSSES, THE FIRST INSTRUMENT TO CHARACTERIZE PARTICLES EMITTED FROM THE SUN’S POLES. FOR HIS SECOND PHD AT THE CENTER FOR ASTROPHYSICS IN MASSACHUSETTS, HE WORKED AT DEVELOPING AN INSTRUMENT CAPABLE OF DETERMINING THE CHARACTERIS-TICS OF SOLAR WIND AT ITS ORIGIN. My research interests range from the sun to planets, in the development of new instrumentation and the analysis and interpretation of existing data. These…

GEORGE MCKENZIE, JR. IS A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER AND DOCUMENTARIAN FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. HIS WORK EXPLORES THE INTER-SECTION OF WILDLIFE, NATURAL HISTORY, CULTURES AND CONSERVATION THROUGH VISUAL STORYTELLING. IN DECEMBER, GEORGE ACCEPTED A POSITION IN FLORIDA WITH THE PATH OF THE PANTHER PROJECT. AS A CAMERA TRAP TECHNICIAN, HE OVERSEES A NETWORK OF CAMERA TRAP SYSTEMS IN THE NORTHERN EVERGLADES TO DOCUMENT THE RECOVERY OF THE ENDANGERED FLORIDA PANTHER. THIS WORK CONTRIBUTES TO BOTH FIELD RESEARCH AND PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR, A COLLABORATIVE CAMPAIGN TO PERMANENTLY CONNECT, PROTECT AND RESTORE VITAL CONSERVATION LANDS. I would like to give voice to people who are not usually represented. The impact of my work centers around storytelling from a person of color’s perspective. Wildlife and natural beauty…

DR. SHAWNA PANDYA IS A PHYSICIAN, AQUANAUT, SKYDIVER, PILOT-IN-TRAINING, VP OF IMMERSIVE MEDICINE WITH LUXSONIC TECHNOLOGIES, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL RESEARCH AT ORBITAL ASSEMBLY CORPORATION AND PODCAST HOST WITH WORLD EXTREME MEDICINE (WEM). SHE IS A GRADUATE OF THE SCIENTIST/ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE PROGRAM AT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONAUTICAL SCIENCES/PROJECT POSSUM, DIRECTOR OF IIAS SPACE MEDICINE GROUP AND CHIEF INSTRUCTOR FOR IIAS OPERATIONAL SPACE MEDICINE COURSE. DR. PANDYA WAS ON THE FIRST CREW TO TEST A COMMERCIAL SPACESUIT IN ZERO GRAVITY IN 2015. SHE EARNED HER AQUANAUT DESIGNATION DURING THE 2019 NAUTICAL EXPERIMENTS IN PHYSIOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY AND UNDERWATER EXPLORATION (NEPTUNE) MISSION. The mantra of WEM is where humans go, medicine must follow. It rings particularly true when referring to space medicine. It is no exaggeration to say that the innumerable hazards of the…

ANDRÉS RUZO-CALLEJAS IS A GEOTHERMAL SCIENTIST, CONSERVATIONIST, EDUCATOR, NATGEO EXPLORER, AND A TED SPEAKER. HE HOLDS DEGREES IN GEOLOGY AND FINANCE, AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON HIS PHD. HE IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS WORK ON PERU’S BOILING RIVER OF THE AMAZON, WHERE HE BECAME THE FIRST GEOSCIENTIST TO RECEIVE THE SHAMANIC BLESSING TO STUDY THIS SACRED AMAZONIAN SITE. MUCH OF ANDRÉS’ WORK FOCUSES ON BRIDGING GAPS AND FINDING HARMONY BETWEEN TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS AND MODERN WESTERN SCIENCE. Historically, the strength of our communities and our capacity for consistent collaboration appears to be the secret to human success. The greatest impact of my work at Peru’s Boiling River, and beyond, has been a steadfast belief in the power of accelerated collaboration. With over 50 collaborators from dozens of disciplines, countries, and…

RACHEL SUSSMAN IS AN ARTIST, WRITER AND HEALER. SHE SPENT TEN YEARS CREATING HER NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING BOOK, THE OLDEST LIVING THINGS IN THE WORLD, FOLLOWED BY CONCEPTUAL ART WORK EXPLORING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH DEEP TIME AND DEEP SPACE. SUSSMAN HAS SHARED HER PROFOUND EXPERIENCES EXPLORING SPIRITUAL REALMS AND HEALING TRAUMA WITH PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINES. THIS PAVED THE WAY FOR HER WORK AT THE CENTER FOR SACRED STUDIES WHERE SHE WILL BE ORDAINED AS A MINISTER OF WALKING PR AYER, AND AS A CERTIFIED METHYLENE DIOXY METH AMPHETAMINE (MDMA) ASSISTED THERAPIST THROUGH THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHEDELIC STUDIES. The Oldest Living Things in the World is a decade-long project working with scientists to find and photograph continuously living organisms that are 2,000 years old and older. It helps people to…

SONAM TOBGAY IS THE CHIEF FORESTRY OFFICER AT THE FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION UNDER THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FORESTS FOR THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN. HE IS LEADING THE SECOND NATIONWIDE NATIONAL FOREST INVENTORY OF BHUTAN TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITION OF BHUTAN’S FORESTS, INCLUDING GROWING STOCK, BIODIVERSITY, FOREST CARBON STOCK AND CHANGES IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, AMONG OTHERS. A PRACTITIONER AND AN ECOLOGIST IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS, HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DESIGNING STRATEGIC PLANS IN BHUTAN. WITH A VAST EXPERIENCE IN PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT, NATURE CONSERVATION AND LEADERSHIP, HE HAS CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AT BOTH POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION LEVELS. For deeply reflective and inward looking Bhutanese people, every object of nature has life and is…

The 2021 concept of identifying fifty explorers the world should know was a grand success for The Explorers Club. The accompanying book was well received, and those of us who prepared it appreciate the compliments. The most welcome request: do it again! And, so we have, here. While the book team is the same, the experienced support allowing this to happen made the task smooth. Lacey Flint, the Explorers Club archivist, coordinated the details by interacting with each of the honorees. The selection committee under the guidance of Co-Chairs Joe Rohde and Richard Wiese organized the difficult task of selecting among so many qualified nominees, nearly 400. Several committee members (listed on the inside front cover) were EC50 honorees from last year! Once selected, each individual was asked to submit…

EKWOGE ABWE JOHN AINI ADOLFO IVÁN BAYÚN ALPUCHE THEO ANAGNOSTOPOULOS ANN ANDREASEN GEORGE BEY CASSANDRA BROOKS SARAH K. CARMICHAEL ERICK CEDENO WILSON WAI-YIN CHEUNG TAEGYU CHOI ALICIA COLSON ANTHONY GIORDANO LOUIS HARRIS EMILY HAZELWOOD BRETT HOWELL SALIMA IKRAM JOSIE ISELIN MORIBA JAH PANINNGUAQ LIND JENSEN WILLIAM LUCAS LINDESAY LIU YANLIN STEFANO A LIVI JOHN MACK ISAI MADRIZ MANUEL JOSE CARPINTERO MANZANARES TOM MARTIENSSEN RICK MCINTYRE GEORGE MCKENZIE, JR NATALIE MIAOULIS PATRICIA MARTIN MORALES AIMEE MORGANA IGNACIO OFICIALDEGUI ANTHONY OCHIENG ONYANGO SHAWNA PANDYA VID PETROVIC GREGORY PLUNKETT MOSES S. PULEI HANA AHMED RAZA FRANCISCO (JAVIER) ROBAYO ANDRÉS ALFONSO RUZO-CALLEJAS JESSICA SANDOVAL NATALIE T. SCHMITT FABIEN SCHULTZ SUNNIVA SORBY AMBER SPARKS AISHWARYA SRIDHAR RACHEL SUSSMAN DANIEL TAYLOR SONAM TOBGAY COVER: GLACIOLOGIST WILSON WAI-YIN CHEUNG HIGH IN THE SWISS ALPS STUDYING GLACIAL RETREAT…

EKWOGE ABWE IS A PRIMATOLOGIST AND MANAGER OF SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE’S (SDZWA) AFRICAN FOREST PROGRAM. HE HOLDS A BA IN GEOGRAPHY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF YAOUNDE I, AN MSC IN PRIMATE CONSERVATION FROM OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY, AND A PHD IN BIOLOGY FROM DREXEL UNIVERSITY. EKWOGE SERVES AS SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE AFRICAN PRIMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY. HE IS CO-VICE CHAIR OF THE SECTION ON GREAT APES OF THE IUCN SSC PRIMATE SPECIALIST GROUP, AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE IUCN-SSC PRIMATE SPECIALIST GROUP ARRC TASK FORCE AND THE WORKING GROUP ON CHIMPANZEE CULTURES. My research has made significant contributions to science and biodiversity conservation in Cameroon. In 2005, I observed chimpanzees cracking African walnuts with stone hammers in the Ebo forest, a subsistence tool-use behavior hitherto thought to be limited…

CASSANDRA BROOKS’ DRIVE TO PROTECT THE OCEAN HAS TAKEN HER TO ALL SEVEN CONTINENTS, THOUGH ANTARCTICA HOLDS HER HEART. SHE HAS A PHD FROM STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND HOLDS ADVANCED DEGREES IN ENVIRONMENT, AND RESOURCES, MARINE SCIENCE, AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION. CASSANDRA WORKS IN THE LAB, UNDERWATER AND AT SEA. SHE WAS A CORE MEMBER OF THE LAST OCEAN, A GRAND-SCALE MEDIA PROJECT FOCUSED ON PROTECTING THE ROSS SEA, ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST MARINE ECOSYSTEMS LEFT ON EARTH. CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER, SHE SEEKS TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS. My research is driven by a desire to devise conservation solutions, especially around protecting the oceans and Antarctica. Antarctica is a global commons set aside for peace and science. It belongs to the world…

WILSON WAI-YIN CHEUNG’S LIFELONG AMBITION IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE POLAR REGIONS. DURING HIS TEN-YEAR CAREER, HE HAS CONDUCTED MANY SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS UNDER TRYING CONDITIONS AND HAS ACCUMULATED OVER 1,000 DAYS OF FIELD EXPERIENCE IN POLAR REGIONS. AS A DOCTORAL STUDENT OF GLACIOLOGY, HIS RESEARCH FOCUSES ON ACTIVELY MONITORING GLACIERS’ SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS IN THE HIGH ARCTIC. HE HAS AIMED TO BE THE FIRST ASIAN TO CLIMB 82,4000-METER PEAKS IN THE ALPS WITH THE GOAL OF DRAWING THE PUBLIC’S ATTENTION TO RAPIDLY MELTING ALPS GLACIERS. Having engaged in the frontiers of polar exploration for over a decade, I have witnessed the accelerating rate of large-scale glacier disappearances in the high latitudes and the corresponding environmental consequences. However, most Canadian Arctic glaciers and ice caps remain…

ANTHONY J. GIORDANO IS A SCIENTIST, CONSERVATION PRACTITIONER AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR WHO DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE APPROACHES THAT PROMOTE HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE. HE HAS AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND IN EVOLUTION, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, INCLUDING A PHD IN WILDLIFE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT. OVER HIS 30-YEAR CAREER, ANTHONY HAS WORKED IN 34 COUNTRIES AND ON FIVE CONTINENTS, AND HAS MANAGED DOZENS OF INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS. AS DIRECTOR OF S.P.E.C.I.E.S., HE BELIEVES THAT WILD CARNIVORE POPULATIONS ARE CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY, RESILIENCE AND CONNECTIVITY OF LARGE LANDSCAPES. I am designing integrated socioeconomic and ecological roadmaps to coexistence between people and carnivores across the world in order to create lasting benefits for rural communities. Over several decades, I have learned to move beyond simply doing conservation science and ecology. Instead, I integrate science into…

AMBER SPARKS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEUR AND EXPLORER. SHE IS CO-FOUNDER OF THE WOMAN-OWNED CONSULTING FIRM BLUE L ATITUDES LLC. AMBER WORKS GLOBALLY TO FIND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. HER MARINE SCIENCE STUDIES AT SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY ALLOW HER TO REPURPOSE OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORMS INTO ARTIFICIAL REEFS. SHE IS COMMITTED TO COLLABORATING WITH WORLDWIDE INDUSTRIES TO CONSERVE OUR OCEANS. AMBER ALSO WORKS TO ELEVATE WOMEN IN STEM CAREERS. SHE IS AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, A VOLUNTEER EDUCATOR FOR NEPRIS, A PADI AMBASSADIVER, AND A SCUBAPRO DEEP ELITE TEAM MEMBER. In 2017, after two years of planning, I co-led Explorers Club Flag Expedition #83 to the Seaventures Dive Rig, a retired oil platform that had been converted…

WILLIAM LINDESAY OBE IS A GEOGRAPHER AND EXPERT ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. IN 1987, HE MADE A 2500-KILOMETER TRAVERSE OF THE GREAT WALLS ON FOOT. HE SETTLED IN CHINA IN 1990, DEDICATING HIMSELF TO GREAT WALL STUDIES THROUGH EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, AND HAS PIONEERED A NEW ERA OF CONSERVATION SINCE 1998. HE ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS OF THE GREAT WALL AND ORGANIZED THE FIRST VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES REMOVING LITTER AND ERASING GRAFFITI. HE HAD THE GREAT WALL LANDSCAPE LISTED AS AN ENDANGERED SITE BY THE WORLD MONUMENTS FUND AND SET UP RANGER TEAMS TO PATROL SECTIONS OF WILDERNESS. HE PRODUCED AND PLACED THE FIRST GREEN MESSAGE SIGNAGE THERE AND USED RE-PHOTOGRAPHY TO MEASURE THE MONUMENT’S DETERIORATION. My 1987 traverse of the Great Wall still inspires the spirit of adventure and…

TOM MARTIENSSEN IS AN EMMY-WINNING DIRECTOR AND CINEMATOGRAPHER. HE HAS FILMED IN OVER 50 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES FROM AFGHANISTAN TO THE ARCTIC TO THE HIMALAYAS TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. HIS PASSION FOR STORYTELLING BEGAN WHEN HE WAS WORKING AS COMBAT SEARCH AND RESCUE IN AFGHANISTAN. WHILE AT THE BBC, HE SURVIVED AND SUBSEQUENTLY COVERED THE 2015 EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL AND WORKED UNDERCOVER IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO REPORT ON ISIS. TOM IS CURRENTLY DIRECTING FILMS AROUND THE TOPICS OF CONSERVATION IN NIGERIA, POACHING IN KENYA, CULTURE IN GLOBAL INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, AND HIGH ARCTIC EXPLORATION. HE COLLABORATES ON HIS PROJECTS WITH DIAMOND DOCS AND THE BBC. I have traveled to dozens of countries and spent time with hundreds of people and their communities, including farmers, fishermen and storytellers. Over the years…

IGNACIO OFICIALDEGUI IS A POLAR EXPLORER USING WIND AND SUN INSTEAD OF FOSSIL FUEL FOR ENERGY IN THE MOST REMOTE, PRISTINE AND HOSTILE REGIONS OF ANTARCTICA AND GREENLAND. HE HAS SPENT 25 YEARS PROSPECTING FOR INVISIBLE WINDS IN MORE THAN SEVENTY COUNTRIES ON SIX CONTINENTS AND HAS DONE 14.000 KILOMETERS OF POL AR ICE TRAVELING. THIS INCLUDES THE NORTH POLE, THREE CROSSINGS OF ANTARCTICA AND ONE OF GREENLAND. BY COLLABORATING WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS, IGNACIO HAS VALIDATED POLAR WIND HIGHWAYS, SAILING IN THE INGENIOUS WINDSLED. As a pioneer prospecting for winds, my wish is to have contributed to the development of local communities that never knew they had such a resource. Invisible wind routes have already driven explorers, scientists, filmmakers and photographers with tons of equipment…

HANA AHMED RAZA WAS BORN IN IRAQI KURDISTAN. SHE JOINED NATURE IRAQ IN 2009 WHERE SHE ESTABLISHED THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS. AN EXPERT IN MAMMAL CONSERVATION, SHE FOCUSES ON PERSIAN LEOPARDS, ONCE THOUGHT EXTINCT. SHE REDISCOVERED THE LARGE CAT IN IRAQ IN 2011 AND IS DEDICATED TO CONSERVING THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES. HANA HAS BEEN THE ONLY FEMALE KURDISH CONSERVATIONIST. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THREE IUCN SPECIALIST GROUPS, A COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST CONSERVATION FUND, AND AN EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER OF THE SANDGROUSE JOURNAL. HANA IS A CHEVENING SCHOLAR AND NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY ALUMNA AND A FUTURE FOR NATURE AWARD LAUREATE. My conservation work in Kurdistan is unique in that wildlife conservation was in its infancy and mammal conservation specifically had been unexplored. I started…

SUNNIVA SORBY IS A POLAR AMBASSADOR, AUTHOR AND EXPLORER WHO MADE HISTORY IN 1993 AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST TEAM OF WOMEN TO SKI TO THE SOUTH POLE, AND IN 2021 AS THE FIRST WOMEN TO OVERWINTER SOLO IN THE ARCTIC. WITH OVER 25 YEARS IN THE POLAR REGIONS AS A HISTORIAN AND A NATURALIST GUIDE, SHE IS AN ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING THE POLAR REGIONS THROUGH STORYTELLING, CITIZEN SCIENCE, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND VISUAL INSPIRATION. AN ACCOMPLISHED KEYNOTE SPEAKER, SHE PRESENTED AT THE UNITED NATIONS COP26 ON THE IMPORTANCE OF POLAR EDUCATION TO UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE. SUNNIVA’S GOAL IS TO INSPIRE BETTER SERVICE TO THE EARTH AND TO EACH OTHER THROUGH HER PROJECT, HEARTS IN THE ICE. My goal is to show what inclusive leadership looks like. It is diverse…

EC50 was designed to give recognition to explorers or scientists who are doing great work but who are not necessarily known figures, yet. We wanted to paint a picture of the great diversity of exploration while giving a voice to explorers who may not have access or the opportunity to have their work recognized or message amplified. We have kept the criteria vague as we did not want to pre-define what exploration is or how it should be communicated. The judges’ panel was tasked with thinking big. They were guided by the following questions: Does this candidate’s work involve an outstanding, innovative, and impactful mode of exploration and inspire a greater understanding of the world around us? Does their work impact the communities they live in, in creative ways? Would…

46 EAST 70TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10021 WWW.EXPLORERS.ORG | 212-628-8383 AFRICA Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka gladys@ctph.org ALASKA Mead Treadwell meadwell@alaska.net ATLANTA Steve Pigott jagter@msn.com AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND Todd Tai todd@mivision.com.au BHUTAN Matthew DeSantis matt@mybhutan.com CANADA Jett Britnell chapterchair@explorersclub.ca CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Acting Chair: Synnøve Marie Kvam Strømsvåg sstromsvag@explorers.org CHICAGO/GREAT LAKES Robert A. Shuchman, PhD shuchman@mtu.edu EAST & SOUTH ASIA Steven R. Schwankert steven@sinoscuba.com FLORIDA Joseph Dituri, PhD joe@gallantaquatic.com GEORGE ROGERS CLARK Cindy Pennington cirvin100@yahoo.com GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND Mark Wood mark@markwoodexplorer.com Rory Golden, Vice Chair rgolden@eircom.net GREATER PIEDMONT James Borton asiareview@yahoo.com HAWAII Mark Blackburn mblackburn@aol.com HONG KONG Angélica Anglés aangles@explorershk.org MIDDLE EAST Hamish Harding hharding@actionaviation.com NEW ENGLAND Gregory Deyermenjian paititi@alumni.clarku.edu NORTH PACIFIC ALASKA Joshua C. Lewis & Victoria M. Becwar-Lewis npac1@me.com NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Tom Dolan tdolan@outdoorstorms.com NORWAY Synnøve Marie…

JOHN AINI IS FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF AILAN AWARENESS, A MARINE CONSERVATION AND INDIGENOUS EMPOWERMENT-FOCUSED NGO IN NEW IRELAND, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. HE IS A MAIMAI—A CHIEF IN THE MALANGAN CULTURE IN NORTHERN NEW IRELAND, A AINPIDIK IN THE TUMBUAN SOCIETY FROM SOUTHERN NEW IRELAND, AND A MERENGEN FROM HIS OWN TUNGAK CULTURE FROM LOVONGAI, NEW HANOVER. HE HAS WORKED AS A COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT EXPERT AND LECTURER AT THE NATIONAL FISHERIES COLLEGE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA. HE IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE RANGUVA SOLWARA SKUL, A FORMER MEMBER OF GOVERNMENT, AND RECIPIENT OF THE 2012 SEACOLOGY PRIZE. I was born and raised in Lavongai, a small coastal community on the island of New Hanover. In 1993, together with my late brother Miller and our cousin Michael, I founded Ailan…

ANN ANDREASEN WAS BORN IN THE FAROE ISLANDS AND HAS BEEN THE PRINCIPAL OF THE UUMMANNAQ CHILDREN’S HOME IN GREENLAND FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. SOCIAL EDUCATOR AND FAMILY THERAPIST, SHE HAS DEVISED ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING DOG SLED EXPEDITIONS, HUNTING AND FISHING SCHOOLS, INTERNATIONAL SUMMER HOLIDAY CAMPS, MUSIC THERAPY AND FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS. SHE COFOUNDED AND BECAME THE DIRECTOR OF THE UUMMANNAQ POLAR INSTITUTE, INAUGURATED BY HSH PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO AND PROFESSOR JEAN MALAURIE IN APRIL 2009. IN SEPTEMBER 2019, SHE WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS GERDA PRIZE FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO GIVING CHILDREN OPPORTUNITIES FOR A GOOD LIFE. I have dedicated my life to the therapy and education of Inuit youth who have been separated from their parents following educational neglect and psychological, physical or sexual abuse. The…

SARAH CARMICHAEL IS A GEOCHEMIST WHO STUDIES HOW WATER REACTS WITH ROCKS, IN BOTH ANCIENT AND MODERN ENVIRONMENTS. HER AREAS OF EXPERTISE INCLUDE THE GEO-CHEMISTRY OF MASS EXTINCTIONS, THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROBES AND MINERALS IN CAVES, AND THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN MICROBES, WATER AND ORE DEPOSITS. TO GET THE ROCKS TO TELL THEIR STORIES, SHE STARTS WITH INTENSE FIELDWORK, FROM THE MOUNTAINS IN THE GOBI ALTAI, MONGOLIA, TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, TO THE FLANKS OF VOLCANOES IN TANZANIA, AND TO THE DEPTHS OF CAVES IN THE SOUTHERN APPAL ACHIANS. SHE ENDS WITH A VARIETY OF HIGH-TECH LABORATORY TECHNIQUES, WHICH ALLOWS THEIR STORIES TO BE TOLD FROM A KILOMETER SCALE DOWN TO A MOLECULAR SCALE. As an interdisciplinary geoscientist, I am known for my efforts to answer questions that…

TAEGYU CHOI BECAME A VETERINARIAN IN 2007 AND HAD BEEN TREATING LIVESTOCK FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS WHEN HE WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH TO STUDY ANIMAL WELFARE. HE EARNED A MSC IN APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND ANIMAL WELFARE IN 2018 AND RETURNED TO KOREA WHERE HE FOUNDED THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, PROJECT MOON BEAR, TO END BEAR-BILE FARMING IN KOREA. THIS BEAR SANCTUARY PROVIDES RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN TERMS OF REFLECTION ON THE HISTORICAL HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIP IN KOREA. HE IS NOW PURSUING HIS PHD AT SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, WITH AN INTEREST IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND THIS RELATIONSHIP. Asian black bears on the Korean Peninsula have been steadily hunted for their bile, an oriental medicine. In the 20th century, demands for it increased. As a solution to prevent extinction, the Korean government…

IN 2014, LOU HARRIS—A SURFER AND RESIDENT OF ROCKAWAY, QUEENS—READ ABOUT A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO’D BEEN ARRESTED FOR ARSON. WHEN THE COPS ASKED THE BOY WHY HE STARTED THE FIRE, HIS EXCUSE WAS HE WAS BORED. HARRIS COULDN’T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF KIDS IN HIS COMMUNITY GROWING UP WITH SO LITTLE ENGAGEMENT. TO HARRIS, THE ANSWER WAS OBVIOUS. HE WOULD INTRODUCE LOCAL YOUTH TO HIS PASSION, SURFING. HE BELIEVED THIS WOULD KEEP THEM OUT OF TROUBLE. IN 2016, HE FOUNDED THE NON-PROFIT BLACK SURFING ASSOCIATION ROCKAWAY. HE IS CHALLENGING THE IDE A OF WHO A SURFER IS. Through lessons, events and activities Lou is making a long-lasting difference in youth education, and he is challenging the idea of who a surfer is. I want kids to see that surfers aren’t…

MORIBA JAH, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING MECHANICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, IS THE HOLDER OF THE MRS. PEARLIE DASHIELL HENDERSON CENTENNIAL FELLOWSHIP IN ENGINEERING. HE HAS WORKED WITH A TEAM TO DEVELOP ASTRIAGRAPH, AN AWARD-WINNING, FIRST OF A KIND, MAP THAT SHOWS WHERE OBJECTS ARE PREDICTED TO BE LOCATED IN SPACE, IN NEAR REAL TIME. HE IS A FELLOW OF MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING TED, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS, AMERICAN ASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SPACE SAFETY, ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY AND THE AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY. The first space object, Sputnik, was launched in 1967. In 2021, we’re estimating that there are nearly 500,000 objects currently orbiting the Earth. The problem is that we are tagging and monitoring only…

ISAÍ MADRIZ IS AN EARLY CAREER ENTOMOLOGIST WITH EXPERTISE IN FRESHWATER AQUATIC INSECTS OF PATAGONIA. ALONE, USING A BAMBOO BICYCLE AND A PACK RAFT, HE TRANSECTS REMOTE AND UNEXPLORED AREAS OF PATAGONIA IN SEARCH OF ITS LAST PRISTINE FORESTS AND RARE INSECTS. HE SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND RELICT GROUPS OF LIVING FOSSILS AND TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE CONSERVATION OF INSECTS IN THIS AREA OF THE WORLD. MADRIZ WRITES STORIES ABOUT EXPLORATION, SCIENCE, AND VANISHING INSECT DIVERSITY USING MACROPHOTOGRAPHY TO SHOWCASE THESE SIX-LEGGED JEWELS OF PATAGONIA. When I first became a field biologist, I took every opportunity to work with as many types of animals as possible throughout the Americas. My work spanned from rehabilitating marine animals in California, to leading forest tours in Costa Rica, to tracking pumas in Argentina.…

PATRICIA MARTIN MORALES BEGAN HER ARTISTIC WORK IN THE 1980S, FOUNDING A SMALL WORKSHOP IN MUNA, YUCATÁN, MEXICO. FOR OVER 30 YEARS SHE HAS WORKED ON CERAMIC REPRODUCTIONS OF MAYAN ART. HER WORK HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE THANKS TO THE EXCELLENT QUALITY AND HER ABILITY TO PAINT AND REPRODUCE THE POLYCHROME OF ANCIENT MAYAN VESSELS. THE SURPRISING QUALITY THAT SHE HAS DEVELOPED HAS LED HER TO EXHIBIT HER WORKS IN VARIOUS MUSEUMS OF THE MAYAN CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. TODAY, HER WORKSHOP, LOS CEIBOS, CAN BE VISITED. During a career of more than thirty years, I have worked in the reproduction of Mayan art, in particular polychrome figurines and vases. During this time, little by little in my workshop, we have been perfecting the work. This has led me to…

GREGORY M. PLUNKETT IS A BOTANIST AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST WHO HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO UNDERSTANDING AND PRESERVING THE WORLD’S AMAZING PLANT DIVERSITY. HE HAS PUBLISHED OVER 100 SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND BOOK CHAPTERS AND HAS LED OR PARTICIPATED IN 80 FIELD EXPEDITIONS TO REMOTE AREAS. PLUNKETT WAS PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY FOR 13 YEARS BEFORE TAKING UP HIS CURRENT POST IN 2009 AS DIRECTOR OF MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS AT THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN. WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LED TO INTERNATIONAL BORDER CLOSURES, HE WAS TRAPPED IN VANUATU FOR 1.5 YEARS AND USED THE EXPERIENCE TO PRODUCE THE COUNTRY’S FIRST AUTHORITATIVE CHECKLIST OF FLORA. HE COMPLETED THE DOCUMENTARY, “PLANTS MO PIPOL BLONG VANUATU”, FILMED BY THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. I’m driven by a love for plants in all their…

JAVIER ROBAYO IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FUNDACIÓN ECOMINGA, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT MAINTAINS OVER 27,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED AREAS IN ECUADOR’S CHOCÓ AND TROPICAL ANDES. AS A BIOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR, HE HAS LED MORE THAN 200 RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPEDITIONS IN ECUADOR. HIS EXTENSIVE, COLLABORATIVE FIELDWORK HAS LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF MORE THAN TEN SPECIES OF ORCHIDS, A NEW GENUS CONTAINING TWO SPECIES OF RODENTS, A NEW GENUS OF FROG AND FIVE OTHER SPECIES OF AMPHIBIANS. JAVIER’S WORK FOCUSES ON HIGHLIGHTING BIODIVERSITY TO PREVENT THE DEFORESTATION OF THESE IRREPLACEABLE FORESTS, WHICH ARE SEVERELY THREATENED BY AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND MINING EXPLORATION. Our mountains are full of endemic species and expressions of biodiversity in shapes and sizes never imagined, and exploration is endless. The petals, scales, feathers and sounds that fill…

NATALIE SCHMITT IS AN EMPATHETIC ECOLOGIST, A CONSERVATION GENETICIST, AND A DOCUMENTARIAN. SHE IS DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY USING HARD SCIENCE, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. STUDYING ELUSIVE, ENDANGERED SPECIES, INCLUDING SNOW LEOPARDS AND ANTARCTIC WHALES, SHE HAS EMPOWERED GRASSROOTS CONSERVATION. NATALIE IS DEVELOPING WILDTECHDNA, A LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO DETECT DNA FROM MINUTE BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES IN REAL TIME, ERROR-FREE, AND AT LOW COST WITH EASE OF USE. IT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY THAT CUSTOMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIELD MONITORING, CITIZEN SCIENCE, AND LOCALLY BASED CONSERVATION, ARE CONDUCTED AROUND THE WORLD. As a documentary presenter, I am humbled and always surprised to have such an impact. I am continually heartened by the messages that I’ve received from people inspired by my work with Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Nat Geo Wild,…