National Geographic Announces Emerging Explorers for 2008

Eleven visionary, young trailblazers from around the world --
including a zoologist, anthropologist, cultural storytellers,
musician/HIV activist, and marine, wildlife and environmental
conservationists -- have been named to the 2008 class of National
Geographic Emerging Explorers.

National Geographic´s Emerging Explorers Program recognizes and
supports uniquely gifted and inspiring adventurers, scientists,
photographers and storytellers making a significant contribution to
world knowledge through exploration while still early in their
careers. The Emerging Explorers each receive a $10,000 award to assist
with research and to aid further exploration. PNY Technologies is the
mission partner and "flash memory of choice" for the Emerging
Explorers Program.

Emerging Explorers for 2008 are social environmental advocate
Alexandra Cousteau, of Washington, D.C.; marine conservationist Brad
Norman, of Cottesloe, Australia; biological anthropologist Jill
Pruetz, of Ames, Iowa; sustainable agriculture and development experts
Cid Simoes and Paola Segura, of Lauro de Freitas, Brazil; wildlife
conservationist Hammerskjoeld Simwinga, of Mpika, Zambia;
environmental conservationist Tsetsegee Munkhbayar, of Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia; humanitarian and musician Zinhle Thabethe, of
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; new media cultural storytellers Sol
Guy and Josh Thome, of Vancouver, Canada; and zoologist and
physiological ecologist Martin Wikelski, of Princeton, New Jersey.

The new class of Emerging Explorers is introduced in the February
2008 issue of National Geographic magazine. A Web feature at
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/emerging includes comprehensive
profiles of the explorers and their activities. PNY Technologies has
launched a microsite to create awareness for the program and support
the explorers´ research and expeditions. For more information, visit
http://www.pny.com/EmergingExplorers/.

Cousteau works to inspire and empower individuals to protect not
only oceans and sea creatures, but human communities for whom pure
water is essential.

Norman uses a breakthrough photo analysis technique to identify
and protect the endangered whale shark, opening a new era in animal
recognition.

Pruetz conducts fieldwork around the world, shedding new light on
how ecology influences today´s primates and shaped early human
behavior.

Simoes and Segura create innovative agribusiness projects that
help Brazil´s small farmers prosper while protecting threatened
habitats.

Simwinga helps restore Zambia´s wildlife and transforms
poverty-stricken areas by providing sustainable economic alternatives
to poaching.

Munkhbayar protects Mongolia´s precious water resources from
unregulated mining by raising grassroots awareness and influencing
crucial legislative change.

Thabethe uses the power of music and front-line activism to
provide hope, education and medicine for South Africans afflicted with
HIV/AIDS.

Guy and Thome reach and inspire a new generation to engage in
today´s most pressing issues through entertainment, online education
and live events.

Wikelski leads development of an unprecedented animal migration
database, comparing long-lost records with new findings to show how
climate change, altered landscapes and other factors drive animal
movement.

National Geographic´s Emerging Explorers are part of the Society´s
Explorers Program, which includes 13 Explorers-in-Residence and four
National Geographic Fellows.