WASHINGTON, D.C. (SEPTEMBER 2 2026) — The National Geographic Society today announced Corey Jaskolski as its newest National Geographic Explorer in Residence — a select group of Explorers who join the Society to bring their research and storytelling work in-house. The esteemed engineer, technology innovator and conservationist will lead the Society’s launch of the National Geographic AI Center for Explorer Insights, an initiative designed to help Explorers turn increasingly complex data into discoveries, solutions and compelling stories.

Housed within the Society’s Exploration Technology Lab — a long-standing driver of innovation — the AI Center for Explorer Insights will support Explorers' global AI projects and ultimately provide hands-on technical training for over 100 Explorers each year. The Center aims to reduce the cost and complexity of analyzing field data while keeping scientific interpretation entirely in the hands of human researchers.

“Corey’s background in emerging technologies and as a seasoned National Geographic Explorer makes him the ideal candidate to lead this initiative,” said Alex Moen, chief explorer engagement officer at the Society. “There is no question that AI can enhance exploration and conservation impact, but it's imperative we emphasize human interpretation of data and responsible use. Under Corey’s leadership, we will equip our global network of Explorers with AI-driven data analysis support to accelerate their understanding of our planet and create solutions for its protection.”

Jaskolski is an MIT-trained engineer who designs, builds and deploys technologies for exploration and conservation missions across the globe. His work has taken him to all seven continents, including conducting projects such as scuba diving among the icebergs in Antarctica, descending 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface to explore the Titanic, and capturing 3D digital records of the near-extinct Sumatran rhino and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which many believe contains the Tomb of Christ. He has been a member of the Explorer community since 2012 and was named the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year in 2020.

Most recently, he collaborated with the Society to create a cloud-based conservation intelligence platform that provides real-time identification of endangered species and security alerts for protected areas. In 2019, Jaskolski founded an artificial intelligence start-up that creates solutions for visual data analysis within the conservation, security and medical imaging fields.

“We are at an inflection point. We are losing species and ecosystems faster than we can protect them,” said Jaskolski. “By clearing the technical bottlenecks that trap critical data in the field or on hard drives, this initiative will empower Explorers to turn raw observations into actionable solutions before time runs out.”

Jaskolski joins a celebrated group of Explorers in Residence, including marine conservationist Enric Sala, renowned storytellers Tara Roberts and Kirsten Elstner, paleoanthropologist Lee Berger, and wildlife conservationist Justin Brashares.

Realizing the full potential of the AI Center for Explorer Insights will require collaboration with visionary technology partners who share our commitment to advancing science, conservation, education and storytelling. The National Geographic Society is seeking strategic partners to support this initiative through both philanthropic investment and in-kind contributions of technology, AI platforms, cloud infrastructure, software and hardware. Learn more about the AI Center for Explorer Insights and how you can support this effort at natgeo.org.