How to Become a National Geographic Explorer

If you’ve ever wondered how you might become an explorer for National Geographic, believe it or not, it can start with attending a seminar.

During the Banff Mountain Film Festival in a conference room at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, aspiring young explorers learned the ropes of turning their dreams of adventure into an assignment for National Geographic. Their works may land on television, on the web, or in the famous magazine with the bright yellow border.

Carrie Regan, Vice President of Specials Development at National Geographic Television, explained to young photographers, writers and filmmakers what she wants to see and hear in a pitch.

“In brief it’s basically looking for great adventures, adventures with great payoffs, a great discovery,” Regan said. “Think about what the hook would be, what would make viewers when they tune in for the first five minutes say, ‘Oh, my God! I have to stick around and see if they’re going to solve this mystery and they’re going to accomplish this quest’.”

For many, like those at this seminar, the dream of exploration began between the pages of National Geographic magazine. Who can forget the image of early human ancestors discovered at Olduvai Gorge or the haunting eyes of the “Afghan girl” Sharbat Gula? Those vivid pictures and compelling stories have inspired people for generations to travel the world in search of adventure and scientific discovery. Since 1888 National Geographic has supported more than 10,000 expeditions to the most remote corners of the globe. And those gathered here want to be among the next group of explorers. In this seminar Regan encourages them to keep a few things in mind.

"Really think about how this is going to be visually different, what great characters we have, and what’s that great payoff that will keep viewers tuned in,” said Regan.

Developing content across a variety of different media, National Geographic is looking for new and exciting stories. Gregory McGruder, Vice President of Public Programs at National Geographic, also sits on the Expeditions Council, as well as the Young Explorers Grant Committee. He helps to pick from among the many projects that apply for support and funding. But he warns new applicants not to force the social and culture significance the magazine is known for into their stories. He says just keep it real.

“We’ve got really good radar for things that are shoehorned in kind of improperly,” McGruder said. “If it’s something about adventure make it adventure. Don’t add the cultural element as a tag-on. I mean the cultural element is fine, but it just has to be authentic.”

It is this authenticity that adventure filmmaker and past National Geographic Younger Explorer Grant recipient Andy Maser brings to the magazine.

“I got a Young Explorer Grant in 2009 for a project in Bolivia that blended climate change with whitewater kayaking,” he said.

Maser’s project for National Geographic proposed to demonstrate through a paddling adventure how a warming planet might impact the availability of water in a major city like La Paz.

“A lot of their water comes from melting glaciers that are rapidly receding because of climate change,” Maser said. “So we launched an expedition to study these glaciers and then paddle the rivers that flow with the melt waters of these glaciers.”

Maser, who is now 26, pitched his expedition idea to National Geographic in consideration of a Young Explorers Grant. Now he’s a professional adventure filmmaker.

“Working with National Geographic really opens doors. The Young Explorers Grant is a small grant. It’s only between $2,000 and $5,000,” Maser said. “But it’s not necessarily the money that’s the most valuable part of these small grants, it’s the people you meet and people you get to collaborate with and just the opportunities that you get by being associated with National Geographic.”

(Learn more about Maser’s Kayaking Bolivia project online: http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/2009/04/k.html)

“A lot of people are familiar with the Jacques Cousteaus, the Jane Goodalls, you know Diane Fossey, the Leakeys those are people we’ve funded throughout our history,” said Rebecca Martin, director of the Expeditions Council. She says National Geographic continues to fund groundbreaking, field-based scientific research. And through the Young Explorers Grant Program, National Geographic also encourages people aged 16 to 25 a the beginning of their careers to create expeditions of their own.

“So they either need to be producing some interesting scientific results, be making discoveries, bring back a great story of adventure, think about the story telling component and we showcase them throughout National Geographic Media, our web in particular, but other media as well,” Martin said.

Young explorers share their stories online, a few make it to television and some are published in the coveted yellow magazine. With a little base funding and a lot of professional guidance, National Geographic is helping to take adventure and scientific discovery in a new direction.

“A young woman anthropologist from Oxford University Emily Ainsworth joined and studied Mexican family run circuses. She produced absolutely stunning imagery and she has incredible stories to share about that,” Martin said. “A lot of the young people are thinking way outside the box of what we would normally fund, and we’re wanting to be creative with them and let them stretch the boundaries for us. So it’s exciting to see with what the next generation has brewing and it makes me feel really good about our future, too.”

After more than 120 years of exploration, there is still much left to be discovered. And though a lot of ground has already been covered, editors at National Geographic encourage grant applicants to keep looking for that next great find. What matters most is that young explorers bring a new and exciting angle to the story. You can learn more about the Young Explorers Grant program on line.