3 Explorers Pioneering a New Frontier

The fifth installment of The Explorers 50 Speaker Series returns on Wednesday, July 28th at 7P ET with "Pioneers." Featuring Dr. Vicki Ferrini (a Senior Research Scientist), Dr. Anders Jepsen FN’03 (an exploration earth scientist), and Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin (a paleontologist), the livestream brings together experts from multiple disciplines who have forged new frontiers in their respective fields. The panel discussion will be moderated by EC 50 Chair Joe Rohde and dive into topics of expanding the idea of exploration, innovation, and creating new methods of discovery.

Get to know the pioneers and catch them live on explorers.org, The Explorers Club YouTube Channel, and Facebook Live! - Wednesday, July 28 at 7:00 P ET

July 28, 2021

By: The Explorers Club and Discovery

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Photo By: Telmuun

Photo By: Bolortsetseg Minjin

Photo By: Thea Boodhoo

Photo By: Von Hurson

Photo By: Keith Kronmiller

Photo By: Anders Jepsen

Photo By: Paul Johnson

Photo By: Amy Kukulya

Photo By: Zlatka Andorova

Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin

Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin is a paleontologist who spearheaded the repatriation of over 40 stolen dinosaurs skeletons, for which she received a Polar Star from Mongolia. Her organization drives a mobile museum across rural Mongolia, reaching underserved populations. She is currently leading a project to build a dinosaur museum in Mongolia.

Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin

"For much of my career, I have focused on getting young Mongolians excited about the natural treasures of their country. Thus I was very excited when my daughter got old enough to join one of my expeditions. In 2018 we traveled across the Gobi Desert and decided to see if we could locate a long forgotten campsite of the Central Asiatic Expeditions, led by Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920’s. In May 30, 1922, they stopped for a few days at a place named Canyon Brook, but provided a few details on its location. After much research, we were fairly confident we knew where the campsite was, but needed to match up an archival photo with a view from the ground. It is hard describe how thrilled we were when we were able to confirm its location, a place not visited in nearly a 100 years." - Bolortsetseg Minjin

Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin

"When I became a paleontologist I was struck by how few Mongolians were interested in this profession, even though my country has some of the richest fossil beds in the world. I also noticed that most Mongolian paleontologists were nearing retirement, and that instead of training the next generation, they focused on collaborating with foreign scientists who came to collect fossils. To really take Mongolian paleontology to the next level, I realized that I had to focus on young Mongolians; first by showing them the paleontological riches of their country and then inspiring them to make pursue a career in paleontology." - Bolortsetseg Minjin

Dr. Anders Jepsen FN’03

Dr. Anders Jepsen FN’03 is an exploration earth scientist who has used his technical skills throughout his career for mineral, energy and environmental objectives. Today he is working to advance the application of exploration with drone geophysics to detect and accurately map landmines and UXO in the world’s war-torn areas.

Dr. Anders Jepsen FN’03

"About 70 countries exhibit the presence of war-related materiel: landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO); and those cluster bombs which were spread indiscriminately over large areas. The threat of those items to both life and limb have enormous impact on the day-to-day life of inhabitants. In most areas they are detected and removed by slow, inch-by-inch searching and careful digging using ‘treasure hunter’ equipment. Hundreds of thousands of hectares remain unusable because of landmines.

I and my colleagues are working to extend the existing level of usage of drone geophysics to the specific application of landmine and UXO detection and mapping." -Anders Jepsen

Dr. Anders Jepsen FN’03

Landmines, UXO, and shrapnel map.

Dr. Vicki Ferrini

Dr. Vicki Ferrini is a Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Her research interests focus on ocean exploration, seabed mapping and characterization, and ensuring that marine geoscience data are accessible to scientists and the public. She is a recognized leader in her field both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Vicki Ferrini

"Growing up on the beaches of Cape Cod, I have always had a fascination with the ocean. Watching the tides roll in and out, revealing and concealing the seafloor from view, instilled in me a strong desire to explore and see the ocean’s hidden secrets. Seeing the seafloor, and showing spectacular underwater landscapes to others, fuels my passion for exploration." -Vicki Ferrini

Dr. Vicki Ferrini

"One of the things that fascinates me most about the ocean is its magnitude. Although hard to comprehend from the beach, going to sea gives you a unique sense of wonder and humility. Exploring the seafloor from a submarine literally adds another dimension. My work gives me the opportunity to bring the unseen underwater world to others through the combination of seabed mapping and the preservation and access of marine geoscience data." -Vicki Ferrini