$18 | 2021 THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 acknowledgements contents 2021 FOUNDING CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE COMMITTEE FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE THE EXPLORERS 50 PROJECT Discovery Communications Joseph Rohde, Chairman the explorers club 50 Jeff Blumenfeld Marc Bryan-Brown INTRODUCTION FIFTY EXPLORERS EXPLORERS CHANGING THE EXPLORERS CLUB MAKING THE BOOK SUPPORT OF THE Kim Frank Richard Wiese FN’89 TO KNOW THE WORLD FIFTY PROCESS Lee Langan MED’99 J.R. Harris 5 Joseph M. Rohde FN’10 J. Robert “J.R.” Harris ME’93 Kim N. Frank FN’18 120 EXPLORERS 50 Alexandra Sutton Lawrence 7 10 16 PROJECT Nancy Nenow Nancy Rosenthal Richard & Laetitia Garriott de Cayeux Jalsa Urubshurow Daniel & Lois Kobal Trevor Wallace Richard Wiese awardees Gladys Kalema Zikusoka RUBEN ALEMAN-LUCERO, 39 LATONIA HARTERY, 63 JAMES PRIGOFF, 32 MARGARET O’LEARY AMSLER, 88 JOHN HOUSTON, 47 SIAN PROCTOR, 92 MEMBERS NOMINATING AWARDEES JOEY ANGNATOK, 28 ANDERS JEPSEN, 104 LOSANG RABGEY, 72 CALLIE BROADDUS, 91 SHELTON JOHNSON, 64 SAMUEL E. SULEIMAN RAMOS, 95 BRANDI DECARLI, 52 AYANA ELIZABETH JOHNSON, 67 MAMY RAZAFITSALAMA, 99 Bob Atwater Timothy Jacob Ann Passer SUPRAJA DHARINI, 24 INIT KEITH, 107 MARIO RIGBY, 48 Kathryn Britnell Lisa Keating Milbry Polk JUSTIN DUNNAVANT, 56 PETER LALAMPAA , 36 AVIJAHN SAHA, 60 Gov. Doug Burgum Lee Langan Maureen Raymo SUSAN R. EATON, 96 CASUARINA MCKINNEY-LAMBERT, 112 FAWN SHARP, 100 Greg Carr Alexandra Sutton Lawrence Buffy Redsecker KAARE SIKUAQ ERICKSON, 35 DANIELLE LEE, 23 MICHEL STROGOFF, 31 Julie Chase Damien Leloup Joe Rohde VICKI LYNN FERRINI, 103 JENERIA LEKILELEI, 111 CHIP THOMAS, 119 AYANA FLEWELLEN, 20 BINBIN LI, 108 SCOTT THOMPSON, 53 Jack Daulton Rebecca Martin Faanya Rose BILLY GAUTHIER, 51 ONKURI MAJUMDAR, 44 SATEESH VANKATESH, 40 Matthew DeSantis Rob McCallum Travis Steffens DOMINQUE GONCALVES, 76 JUAN MARTINEZ-PINEDA, 115 DONALD WARNE, 71 Jason Edmunds Kevin McCarey Arnella Trent MARC O GRIOFA, 87 CRAIG MATHIESON, 83 PAIGE WEST, 79 Scott C. Forsyth James Bruce McClintock Trevor Wallace MARK HANNAFORD, 27 BOLORTSETSEG MINJIN, 43 DAWN WRIGHT, 80 Kim Frank Nancy Nenow Richard Wiese K. DAVID HARRISON, 59 SONAM PHUNTSHO, 116 YU JIAHUA, 84 Joe Grabowski Kyle Obermann Mark Wood ROBBIE HART, 68 JOSHUA POWELL, 75 K David Harrison Shawna Pandaya COVER: AWARDEE SATEESH VANKATESH WITH A YOUNG ELEPHANT IN THAILAND. PHOTO: C G VENKATESH THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 46 EAST 70TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10021 membership WWW.EXPLORERS.ORG | 212-628-8383 in PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS PATRONS & SPONSORS THE EXPLORERS CLUB Richard Wiese HONORARY CHAIRMAN Kathryn D. Sullivan, PhD CLASS OF 2021 VP, CHAPTERS LEADER OF EXPLORATION J.R. Harris Tim Radke ($500,000+) HONORARY PRESIDENT Stefan Kindberg Mabel Dorn Reeder* VP, MEMBERSHIP Bertrand Piccard, MD Martin Kraus Nancy L. Nenow BENEFACTORS OF EXPLORATION William J. Liss HONORARY DIRECTORS ($250,000+) VP, RESEARCH & EDUCATION HRH Albert II, Prince of Monaco CLASS OF 2022 Richard H. Olsen* Trevor Wallace Robert Ballard, PhD Marc Bryan-Brown Robert H. Rose* Sylvia A. Earle, PhD Leon “Lee” V. Langan VP, FLAG & HONORS Michael W. Thoresen Gilbert M. Grosvenor Donald C. Milbry C. Polk Robert J. Atwater PATRONS OF EXPLORATION Johanson, PhD Synnøve Marie Kvam VP, DEVELOPMENT ($100,000+) Richard E. Leakey, DSc Strømsvåg Richard Garriott de Cayeux Daniel A. Bennett Frederik D.A. Paulsen, PhD Janet L. Walsh, PhD Daniel and Lois Kobal Roland R. Puton VP, CONSERVATION, WILDLIFE, CLASS OF 2023 OceanX Foundation Johan Reinhard, PhD SUSTAINABILITY Constance Difede Frederik D.A. Paulsen Edward P. Roski, Jr. Mark J. Fowler Barbara Doran Donald L. Segur* George B. Schaller, PhD TREASURER Kellie Gerardi Margaret Segur* Kathryn D. Sullivan, PhD Don Barbara Doran David Isserman Walsh, PhD CORPORATE PATRONS OF EXPLORATION Brianna Rowe SECRETARY HRH Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck Discovery Communications Arnella Trent APPOINTED DIRECTORS Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. Aida “Idee” Belau OMBUDSMAN CORPORATE SUPPORTER OF EXPLORATION Daniel A. Kobal, PhD Brian P. Hanson National Geographic Society Mead Treadwell Steve Pigott * DECEASED The Explorers Club 50© (ISBN: 978-0-578-84855-6) is published by The Explorers Club, 46 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021. Periodicals post- age paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send PUBLICATIONS TEAM address changes to The Explorers Club 50, 46 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021. PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER FOUNDED IN 1904 BY A GROUP OF AMERICA’S LEADING EXPLORERS, SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF LAND, SEA, AIR, AND SPACE, WITH Richard Wiese The Explorers Club, The Explorers Club 50, The Explorers Journal, The Explorers Log, The Explorers Club Travel Program, World Center For THE EXPLORERS CLUB IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROFESSION- AN EMPHASIS ON THE PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Exploration, and The Explorers Club Flag and Seal are registered trademarks of Leon “Lee” V. Langan AL SOCIETY DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF FIELD RE- A PRIMARY AND PRESTIGIOUS CENTER FOR EXPLORATION AND EX- The Explorers Club, Inc., in the United States and elsewhere. All rights reserved. SEARCH, SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION, AND THE IDEAL THAT IT IS PEDITION PLANNING, THE CLUB IS A FOCAL POINT AND UNIFYING CREATIVE DIRECTOR © The Explorers Club, 2020. Jesse Alexander VITAL TO PRESERVE THE INSTINCT TO EXPLORE. THE CLUB’S FORCE FOR EXPLORERS AND SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE, WITH 33 COPY EDITOR STEADFAST MISSION HAS BEEN TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE CHAPTERS SPANNING THE GLOBE. Martha Shaw Printed in Canada For information regarding categories of membership—Fellow, Mem- cation sets forth qualifications for all levels of membership. Additionally, 100% ber, Friend, Term, and Student—and the process of election to The inquiries pertaining to sponsorship and local chapters may be made di- Explorers Club, visit us at www.explorers.org. The downloadable appli- rectly through the Club’s Membership Office, 212-628-8383, ext. 23. 3 2 THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 introduction THE EXPLORERS CLUB FIFTY RICHARD WIESE FN’89 PRESIDENT People have reflected on the question of “who are the following questions: Does this candidate’s work we?” over centuries of introspection, and that ques- involve an outstanding, innovative, and impactful mode tion became the jumping off point for this project: of exploration and inspire the greater understanding of Who are we as an institution? More importantly, who the world around us? Does their work impact the com- do we want to be? We have over 100 years of ex- munities they live in, in innovative ways? Would this ploration legacy behind us, empowered by the most recognition help expand the definition of exploration extraordinary accomplishments: first to the North and further promote the Club’s mission? Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of New projects may be difficult to get off the ground, Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, especially in the midst of a global pandemic, but The first to the surface of the moon—all successes by our Explorers Club has had an incredible team behind this members. With that in mind, the question became, initiative. Thank you to Joe Rohde, EC50 Chair, who, what will the future of The Explorers Club and the in his elegant and imaginative way, gave life to this next 100 years of exploration look like? idea. J.R.Harris, chair of our Diversity and Inclusion To answer that question we are proud to launch, initiative, helped us think critically about how to broad- The Explorers 50: Fifty People Changing the World en our community and welcome the many faces of that You Should Know About. Every honoree featured exploration from around the globe. Richard Garriott here, as well as the hundreds of other nominees, are and Dan Kobal, whose early support gave this initiative exploring, inspiring, and creating the future – the future the momentum it needed to get off the ground. To our of the planet, the future of food security, of paleontol- editorial team, who realized the potential in this project ogy, of biology, of what our communities should look and these incredible individuals - thank you. Most like, and so much more. The EC50 was established importantly, thank you to the EC50 honorees them- not only to reflect the great diversity of exploration but selves for their creativity, passion, bravery, for pushing to give a voice to these trailblazing explorers, scien- boundaries, and setting the bar so high. tists, and activists and their incredible work. The EC50 will be transformative in the composition I could not be more pleased with the group selected of the Club, changing the face of our membership, to represent this first class. Over 400 nominations were challenging the way we have traditionally thought received from 48 countries. Over 46 countries of work about exploration, and ultimately changing who we are are represented by the winners from 17 countries of for the better and bolstering our mission. I am proud residence. The judges’ panel was composed of twelve of this project, humbled by the winners, and excited esteemed international Explorers Club members who to see the future of exploration in the years to come. were tasked with thinking big. They were guided by RICHARD WIESE IN THE DANAKIL DEPRESSION, ETHIOPIA’S AFAR TRIANGLE; CONSIDERED THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EARTH THE EXPLORERS CLUB 50 fifty explorers to know JOSEPH M. ROHDE FN’10 CHAIR, EXPLORERS 50 COMMITTEE Our freshly inaugurated Explorers 50 program is Explorers Club is, and of what it may become. We see aimed at expanding frontiers. Exploration assumes a ourselves anew through these new eyes, and because place that is known, from which we go forth into the of this our own habits and beliefs, the ideas, practices, unknown. We do this in order to discover, to learn, to and places most familiar to us of all, can become undis- teach, and frankly, because we are seized by curiosity.