Jill Heinerth, a Canadian cave diver, underwater explorer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker, has joined the ranks of James Cameron and Neil Armstrong as one of North America’s most illustrious explorers, and she’s got the medal to prove it.
Jill is humbled to have been chosen to receive The Explorers Club Canadian Chapter’s Stefansson Medal. The award recognizes “outstanding contributions to the cause of exploration and/or field sciences in Canada or abroad.”
The commendation reads: in recognition of lifetime contributions as a renowned cave diver, polar explorer, author, speaker, filmmaker, and climate advocate dedicated to advancing scientific and geographic knowledge in extreme environments. Stefansson, the medal’s namesake, had an interesting past including an attempt to invade and colonize a remote Russian Island.
The Explorers Club, founded in 1904, is an international multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research and the belief that the instinct to explore must be preserved. The Explorers Club has 32 chapters in the United States and around the world that serve as local points of contact for explorers, scientists, and students. Many chapters hold monthly dinners, lectures, and seminars, award student field research grants, publish newsletters, and organize expeditions, field trips, and educational events.
