Co-founder Justin Grubb named Explorers Club “50 People Changing the World”
Justin Grubb has been named to the Explorers Club 50 (EC50) Class of 2026, a highly competitive and prestigious international recognition honoring 50 extraordinary individuals who are changing the world through science, exploration, and conservation. The award is sponsored by Rolex, underscoring its global significance and commitment to supporting pioneering work in exploration.
Selected from a global pool of innovators, researchers, and leaders, the EC50 recognizes individuals at the forefront of discovery whose work is advancing knowledge, protecting ecosystems, and inspiring the next generation of explorers. Inclusion in the EC50 is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the field of exploration and applied science.
The Explorers Club 50 program was created to reflect the diversity and interdisciplinary nature of modern exploration, amplifying the voices of those doing critical work across science, conservation, technology, storytelling, and field research. The EC50 Class of 2026 represents a global cohort working across continents and disciplines to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
Founded in 1904, The Explorers Club is a multidisciplinary, professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration, and resource conservation. Headquartered in New York City, with chapters around the world, the Club has supported scientific expeditions across all disciplines for more than a century.
Members of The Explorers Club have been the first humans to reach the North Pole, South Pole, the summit of Mount Everest, the deepest point in the ocean, and even the surface of the moon. Notable members include Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Goodall, Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Edmund Hillary, Bob Ballard, James Cameron, Kathryn Sullivan, John Glenn, Walter Cronkite, Jeff Bezos, and many others whose discoveries have shaped human history.
About the Explorers Club 50 (EC50)
The Explorers Club 50 annually recognizes 50 exceptional individuals who are making significant contributions to science, exploration, and conservation. Established to highlight the diversity of modern exploration, the EC50 elevates emerging and established leaders whose work is expanding human knowledge and driving positive change around the world.
The EC50 Class of 2026 can be viewed here
