Fifty people changing the world that the world needs to know about

We encourage wide-ranging and expansive nominations that range from “boots in the mud” exploration to the communication of science and exploration through various mediums. We’re looking for individuals who deserve recognition and a spotlight for their efforts and contributions, including those whose achievements might have been overlooked or under-appreciated in the past. In other words – 50 people changing the world, that the world needs to know about.

Nominations for the Class of 2026 are currently being reviewed, and the class will be announced in January 2026.

To submit a nomination for the Class of 2027, please use the form below.

Nomination Guidelines:

Nominations must be made by Explorers Club Members, but nominees can be members and non-members alike. Members are welcome to nominate more than one individual. No self-nominations will be accepted. 

While the nomination process is simple, your nominee will be judged only on what materials you write or provide. Please make every effort to best demonstrate your nominee’s qualifications. We encourage you to include a video link of your nominee discussing their work, if available. We’ve made it easier to highlight your nominee by allowing you to share links and documents in your application.

AI Statement: While we recognize that AI can be a useful tool, we expect that nominations are personally completed and written without the use of artificial intelligence. Please be aware that your nomination will be reviewed by your fellow members who are volunteering and generously giving of their time to read nominations. Please honor this effort by putting your own effort into the nomination. Thank you.

Please note: the nomination form below does not autosave. You will not be able to retrieve your nomination if you leave the page before submitting. We recommend writing your answers ahead of submitting your nomination below so you don’t lose your work.

After submitting your nomination, you will receive an email confirmation with your nomination for your records. If you have any questions, please reach out to charlottec@explorers.org.