Missouri State University archaeologists Dr. Daniel Pierce and Christopher Bodine have been named Fellows of The Explorers Club.

In addition, Bodine has been named a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), headquartered in London, England.

Pierce and Bodine work in the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research Center (CAR). They are members of the St. Louis chapter of The Explorers Club.

Dr. Mabel Purkerson, Professor Emerita of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine, and Ted Bakewell of the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis nominated Pierce. Robbie Hart, a director of the William L. Brown Center at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, and Dr. Michael Frachetti, Professor at Archaeology Washington University-St Louis, nominated Bodine.

Fellowship honors significant contributions to exploration

According to its website, The Explorers Club is a “multidisciplinary society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation.”

Bodine said Explorers Club fellowships are awarded to individuals who make “significant contributions” to the field. The club recognized him for his work in Israel, Belgium, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Nominees must submit a list of all fieldwork, publications and honors received in the name of exploration and discovery, Pierce said. The club recognized his nearly two decades of research in Mexico and Guatemala.

Membership demands excellence at all levels

As Fellows, Pierce and Bodine have voting rights and access to resources at the club’s national headquarters in New York City. At the same time, they are expected to meet higher levels of professionalism and academic rigor.

“We are expected to uphold the highest standards of scientific exploration, integrity and public engagement,” Bodine said.

For Pierce, The Explorers Club Fellow represents “the biggest compliment I could have ever received as a researcher.” Despite feeling a bit of “imposter syndrome,” he now feels even more committed to achieve and maintain the highest academic standards.

“This is sort of motivation to continue to produce my best work so I can feel my acceptance is at least somewhat justified,” he said.

A dream come true

In a way, Pierce can thank President Teddy Roosevelt for his dream of becoming an Explorers Club Fellow.

About 15 years ago, Pierce said he was conducting research in Mexico. During his downtime, he read several books, one of which was Candice Millard’s “The River of Doubt.” The book is an account of Roosevelt’s expedition in the Amazon, but it also discusses a speech he gave to The Explorers Club.

“It was the first time I had heard of the club,” Pierce said. “As soon as I got back to the States, I read more [about] the club and dreamed of someday being a part of [it].”

Becoming an Explorers Club Fellow feels deeply personal to Pierce.

“To me, to be accepted into the same club as Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, Neil Armstrong, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jacques Cousteau and Jane Goodall was like an unattainable dream,” he said.

Broadened opportunities for Missouri State

Both Pierce and Bodine are excited about the opportunities their fellowships can bring to their research, to their students and to Missouri State. For Bodine, this means strengthening professional credentials, attracting research collaborators, gaining funding and increasing student engagement.

“The Fellowship provides access to a global network of explorers and scientists, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships and potential field projects,” he explained. “It also enriches education by allowing me to bring real-world exploration experiences into the classroom and involve students in applied research and outreach.”

Pierce also highlighted the powerful networking opportunities a Fellowship brings.

“These are incredibly well-respected explorers and researchers,” Pierce said. “Being ‘one of them’ will open a lot of doors for not only potential funding for research, but also collaborations and even sponsorships.”

The Explorers Club even offers research grants and other opportunities to its student members.

“If you are a person who wants to do scientific research and anything exploration related, you cannot find a better group of people to associate with,” Pierce said. “It’s the Who’s Who of discovery.”

The Explorers Club to help fund Amazon expedition

Pierce noted that his and Bodine’s upcoming Amazon expedition has generated world-wide attention. In particular, it caught the attention of The Explorers Club. They are now assisting with funding.

“I learned of the club by reading about Roosevelt’s Amazon expedition,” Pierce said. “Over a decade later, The Explorers Club is now sponsoring my own Amazon expedition. It is a bit of a full circle moment.”

Bodine recognized by Royal Geographical Society

In addition to his Explorers Club honors, Bodine is now a Fellow with the Royal Geographical Society (RGS).

The RGS was founded in 1830 “to advance geographical science,” according to its website. RGS supports geographical research, education, fieldwork and expeditions. They also work to advocate the discipline, support geographers in their professional practice and promote geography to the public.

Notable past members of the RGS include Percy Fawcett, Charles Darwin, David Livingstone, Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Sir Edmund Hillary and Alfred Russel Wallace.

Like The Explorers Club, the RGS broadens opportunities for Missouri State, Bodine said. Membership opens access to funding, grants, fieldwork support, invitations to speak and international exposure for CAR and its work.

“The Royal Geographical Society provides access to extensive resources, including maps, journals, expedition reports and datasets,” he explained. “It also offers networking opportunities with leading researchers and explorers, fostering collaborations between other Fellows and MSU.”

Like Pierce, Bodine feels like he is living a dream.

“The RGS is something that I have known about since I was very young,” he said. “I went to live in London after undergrad and I used to walk by the RGS building and think about how cool it would be to be a member someday.

“It was very fulfilling to make that a reality.”

Photos by Micah Phoenix and Cora Darmody.