Bolor Minjin

National Geographic Explorer Bolortsetseg (Bolor) Minjin, Ph.D., is a Mongolian paleontologist who founded the Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs. The organization has discovered new fossil species, trained Mongolian paleontologists, and inspired children in the remote Gobi Desert through educational outreach. In 2012, Bolor played a pivotal role in stopping the sale of an illegally collected dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia and subsequently brought it back to the country. For this, the Mongolian government awarded her the Order of the Polar Star. She has received an Earth Award from Wings WorldQuest, was recognized as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2010, and received the Raymond M. Alf award for Excellence in Paleontological Research and Education. Bolor has appeared in documentaries by BBC Horizon and the Giant Screen Films, and her work has been featured in National Geographic, Earth Magazine, The Atlantic, The Scientist, and Smithsonian magazine. Her latest project involves creating a dinosaur conservation park and community-based museum at Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag) and Tugrugiin Shiree, two of the sites travelers will visit on this trip.