NGS/Waitt grantee John Pollack’s discovery of the Goddard in Canada earlier this year has made headlines across the country and is currently being featured as a new story at NG.com.

Click on the headlines below to see the coverage.

NG.com

Video: Rare Goldrush Shipwreck Found

Ghost Ship Pictures

Los Angeles Times

Sunken Canadian stern-wheeler is an underwater time capsule

Canadian Coverage

Press Release

Globe and Mail

Klondike Relic

Canada.com

Sunken Gold Rush Ship discovered in Yukon lake

Vancouver Sun

B.C. researchers discover gold rush ghost ship in Yukon lake

“The NGS/Waitt Grant Program has funded 50 projects in its first year, providing the essential support for cutting-edge exploratory research, leading to a vibrant and novel future in scientific conservation, research and exploration.  Our grantees conduct research in the cultural and biological sciences around the word.”
– Fabio Esteban Amador, NGS/Waitt Program Officer

GEOLOGY

Rogelio D. Acevedo - South America, Argentina

Edward P. Gardiner - Africa, Congo

GEOGRAPHCY/OCEANOGRAPHY

Padraig R. Carmody - Africa, Zambia

Kim M. Cobb - Oceania, Pacific Islands    

ECOLOGY

Luis F.Suarez - South America, Peru

Samuel Meacham - America, Mexico

Allan P. Sullivan - North America, United States

OCEANOGRAPHY

Benjamin F. Horton - Middle America, Costa Rica

Robert Pitman - Oceania, Kiribati

ARCHAEOLOGY

Scott W. Martin - Europe, United Kingdom

Gonzalo Pimentel - South America, Chile

Thomas G. Garrison - Middle America, Guatemala

Scott R. Hutson - Middle America, Mexico

Eamonn J. Keogh - North America, United States    

Alexander Geurds - America, Nicaragua

UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY

Pearce Paul Creasman - Africa, Egypt

Nathan T. Richards - Middle America, Bermuda

Randall J. Sasaki - Asia, Vietnam

George Schwarz - North America, United States

Amy E. Gusick - Middle America, Mexico

Caroline R. Wickham-Jones - Europe, United Kingdom

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Jessica Yorzinski - North America, United States

PALEONTOLOGY

Leslea J. Hlusko - Africa, Tanzania

Qiang  Li - Asia, China

Iyad S. Zalmout - Africa, Egypt

John J. Shea - Africa, Kenya, Rift Valley

Elwyn L. Simons - Africa, Madagascar

Mario A. Rivera - South America, Chile

PRIMATOLOGY

Jean P. Boubli - South America, Brazil

Lisa F. Dabek - Oceania, Papua New Guinea

BIOLOGY

Ben T. Hirsch - Middle America, Panama

Harold F Greeney - South America, Ecuador

Michael P. Curran - Africa, Mozambique           

Olaf P. Jensen - Asia, Mongolia

Susanne S. Renner - Asia, Australia         

Allison K. Shaw - Ocean Islands, Australian Islands

Hogan Sherrow - Africa, Uganda

Fredrik Dalerum - Africa, South Africa

W. Chris Funk - South America, Ecuador   

Alberto  Galindo-Cardona - Middle America, United States

Rulon W. Clark - North America, California             

Sergio Solari - South America, Colombia, Choco

Peter  Barham - Africa, South Africa 

Jean-Michel Bichain - Africa, Morocco

John B. Thorbjarnarson - South America, Brazil

Fernando Trujillo - South America, Peru

Peter U. Tse - Asia, Indonesia

Tshewang R. Wangchuk - Asia, Bhutan           

Nicholas M. Whitney - North America, United States

FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA (December 12, 2008) –The Waitt Institute for Discovery’s CATALYST ONE expedition team sailed home aboard the R/V Seward Johnson on Wednesday energized by the discovery of three never-before identified Lophelia coral reefs. The science team, led by John Reed of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University, spent six days at sea utilizing Waitt’s two 6000-meter autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to remotely map the ocean floor in a region under consideration for status as a Marine Protected Area. The brand new CATALYST AUVs, nicknamed Ginger and Mary Ann, were operated by a go-to team of versatile engineers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, as part of the CATALYST Program partnership.

The three newly discovered Lophelia coral reefs range in size from 40-60 meters (150-200 feet) tall and sit in water about 400m (1300 feet) deep. Individual Lophelia can grow to several meters in diameter and one to three meters high. Based on radiocarbon dating, live Lophelia coral off the coast of Florida is estimated to be 700 years old and is home to thousands of species of fish and invertebrates.

“The mapping of Lophelia reefs in the Florida Straits is paramount to their survival,” said Harbor Branch’s John Reed. “Bottom trawl fishing equipment can turn a flourishing healthy reef into a pile of lifeless rubble in a matter of hours and the reefs cannot be protected until they are discovered and documented.” Reed has studied these fragile ecosystems off Florida’s coast for more than 30 years and will use the mapping data from CATALYST ONE to support his policy efforts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to delineate the region as a Deep Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC). The CATALYST ONE results will also assist Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in determining exact locations to revisit and explore in person with their Johnson Sea Link submersibles on future HBOI expeditions.

“Every discovery made with our CATALYST AUVs is really just a beginning,” said Dominique Rissolo, Executive Director of the Waitt Institute for Discovery. “We see each of our CATALYST expeditions as a springboard, enabling and inspiring future discoveries, targeted scientific investigations, and priority conservation efforts.”

The CATALYST Program’s cutting-edge AUV technology enables the scientific community for the first time to survey large areas of ocean floor with advanced accuracy and efficiency. The program’s Hydroid REMUS 6000 vehicles were developed and engineered by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and were commissioned by the Waitt Institute for Discovery under the direction of President and Founder, Ted Waitt. Carrying multiple instruments and sensors, including side-scan sonar and a photographic camera, the Waitt AUVs map the ocean floor by tracking back and forth over the bottom along a pre-programmed track. At the end of each sortie, which can last up to 18 hours, the AUV is recovered aboard the R/V Seward Johnson and data are downloaded, processed and analyzed to produce a mosaic of pictures revealing the sea floor, forming the most detailed pictures of the ocean bottom that existing technologies can produce.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, The Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery.

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, independent organization in Falmouth, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the oceans and their interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the oceans’ role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit: http://www.whoi.edu

About the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is a research institute dedicated to exploration, innovation, conservation and education related to the oceans. Harbor Branch was founded in 1971 as a private non-profit organization. In December 2007, Harbor Branch joined Florida Atlantic University. Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida’s southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, FAU maintains a world-class faculty and is comprised of ten specialized colleges. For more information, please visit: http://www.hboi.edu

FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA (December 3, 2008) –The Waitt Institute for Discovery and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have joined forces to launch the CATALYST Program, making available for the first time a versatile and highly portable deep-sea tool kit and operations team, which can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world. This unprecedented collaboration features the Waitt Institute’s two newly built Hydroid REMUS 6000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), which can explore depths of up to 6000 meters, or 3.7 miles, below the ocean’s surface. These innovative multi-sensor platforms are equipped with high-tech survey instruments capable of recording critical oceanographic data, photo-imaging deep-sea features, and producing detailed sonar maps of the ocean floor.

The inaugural CATALYST expedition launches on December 4, 2008 and draws on the scientific expertise and resources of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University to explore Florida’s vulnerable and rare deep coral reefs. The CATALYST ONE expedition will utilize the CATALYST AUVs to create the first-ever high definition side-scan sonar maps of deep-water Lophelia and Oculina coral reefs. The expedition will be led by Dr. John Reed of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, who has been studying and working to protect these deep corals for over 30 years.

“These Deep Sea Coral Ecosystems are under immediate threat from destructive bottom trawling and other fisheries impacts, “ said Dr. Reed. “Ultimately, the CATALYST ONE expedition will provide us with much-needed data to help protect these fragile reefs as Marine Protected Areas and as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern.”

For initial expeditions, the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is also bringing their ocean exploration expertise and resources to the CATALYST program in the form of expedition logistics and science plan development. CATALYST ONE will also see the utilization of Harbor Branch’s research vessel R/V Seward Johnson as the first CATALYST AUV launch vessel.

“AUVs are quickly proving to be the most versatile, efficient, and transformative technologies available for exploring the oceans,” said Ted Waitt, founder and president of the Waitt Institute for Discovery and founder and former chairman of Gateway, Inc. “Our goal is to help implement these vehicles in a way that accelerates and advances deep-sea exploration, cutting-edge scientific research and sustainable ocean policy.” As the founder of the CATALYST Program, the Waitt Institute for Discovery commissioned the construction of two REMUS 6000 AUVs and currently directs the implementation of CATALYST expeditions.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution developed and engineered the REMUS AUVs and has assembled a rapid-response operations team with the expertise to conduct REMUS 6000 expeditions anywhere in the world. “Through the use of deep-diving AUVs and a dedicated operations team, the CATALYST Program establishes a full-time, long-lasting, high-tech knowledge center for interdisciplinary research of Earth’s oceans,” said WHOI President and Director Susan Avery.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, The Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery.

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, independent organization in Falmouth, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the oceans and their interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the oceans’ role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit: http://www.whoi.edu

About the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is a research institute dedicated to exploration, innovation, conservation and education related to the oceans.  Harbor Branch was founded in 1971 as a private non-profit organization. In December 2007, Harbor Branch joined Florida Atlantic University. Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida’s southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, FAU maintains a world-class faculty and is comprised of ten specialized colleges. For more information, please visit: http://www.hboi.edu

(August 14, 2008) — In collaboration with RPM Nautical Foundation and the Albanian Institute of Archaeology (AIA), the Waitt Institute for Discovery will be conducting a nautical archaeology survey off the Albanian Coast from August 15-25, 2008. Dr. Nicolle Hirschfeld of Trinity University will lead the 10-day expedition to document the site of a 2200 year-old shipwreck near Sarandë, Albania.

Sometime early in the third century BCE, a ship carrying a cargo of amphoras wrecked on a promontory just south of the bay of Butrint. About forty of these ancient ceramic vases remain visible above the accumulating sand and are waiting to be studied more closely. Unlike the other components of a wreck from this era, amphoras do not disintegrate once they have come to rest on the sea floor. This durability has left these vases as the sole witnesses to many ancient shipwrecks and the stories they tell have transformed our understanding of history, a major mission of the Waitt Institute for Discovery.

The Butrint shipwreck site was discovered during an underwater survey in July of 2007, conducted by the RPM Nautical Foundation. In collaboration with RPM, the Waitt Institute for Discovery will follow-up this initial finding with a closer examination of the wreck site led by Dr. Nicolle Hirschfeld. The dive team will examine the seabed topography, identify the area of scatter, and create a detailed map of the objects on the sea floor. This recon will provide insight for planning a future joint excavation project for the site, including a determination of the resources necessary to excavate, record, and conserve the finds properly.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery aims to act as a catalyst in the development of a sustainable program of cultural resource management of the maritime heritage of Albania, conducted by and for the Albanians. A secondary goal is to broaden the American student perspective of the people and history of the Balkans. In these efforts, Dr. Hirschfeld will be acting as an ambassador to various Albanian officials, educators, and students, with the hope of exciting interest in this collaborative enterprise and to explore possibilities for future efforts.

Dr. Nicolle Hirschfeld is an Assistant Professor of Classical Studies at Trinity University in San Antonia, Texas. She earned her doctorate in Classical Archaeology from the University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master’s Degree in Nautical Archaeology from Texas A&M University. Her work in the eastern Mediterranean has merited, among others, grants awarded by the Fulbright Program, the Archaeological Institute of America,, the Shelby White - Leon Levy Program for Archaeological Publications, and the Mellon Foundation. She has spent numerous years of living in Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, and participating in excavations throughout the Aegean, the Levant and Egypt.

The public can join the Waitt Institute for Discovery, RPM Nautical Foundation and the Albanian Institute of Archaeology (AIA) on this expedition by tuning in to Dr. Hirschfeld’s notes from the field via her blog.

RPM Nautical Foundation is a non-profit organization utilizing state-of-the-art technology to advance research in the field of nautical archaeology. RPM’s projects are conducted in support of leading institutions in the field including the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and with host country institutions and cultural authorities.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

(February 12, 2008) — The Waitt Institute for Discovery has partnered with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) for an exploratory survey of the Campeche and Chinchorro Banks off the coast of the Yucatan in Mexico.  Pilar Luna Erreguerena, a nautical archaeologist and Director of Underwater Archaeology at INAH in Mexico City, will lead the expedition as Principle Investigator.

The reefs and islands of the Campeche Bank were a notorious navigation hazard for Spanish ships traveling between Havana and the Mexican port of Veracruz. It was among these shoals and hidden reefs that all 19 ships of the New Spain Fleet, under the command of Admiral Manuel Serrano, foundered and sank during a storm in 1631. Due to the threat posed by the reefs and islands of the Campeche Bank, the names and approximate locations of these ships appear on the earliest maps of the New World; yet they are among the least explored areas within the Gulf of Mexico.

Over the past several years, Luna Erreguerena has carried out research regarding the New Spain Fleet in the archives of Spain, Cuba, and Mexico. She and her team from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have identified 24 sites and recorded 150 targets along the Campeche Bank, the majority of which still await inspection.

The 18-day expedition set to embark next month will focus survey efforts on the search for the lost New Spain Fleet of 1630-1631 and its flagship, the Nuestra Señora del Juncal, which has remained elusive. The expedition will further investigate suspected shipwreck sites at Alacran Reef and along the reefs of Chinchorro Bank.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery aims to act as a catalyst in the preservation of underwater cultural heritage and is proud to partner with the National Institute of Anthropology and History on this exploratory expedition.

Pilar Luna Erreguerena is the Director of the Underwater Archaeology Department at the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico City, Mexico. Currently, she is directing the 1630-1631 New Spain’s Fleet Research Project, an exemplary Latin American research effort. In January 1997, she received the Society for Historical Archaeology Award of Merit, “for pioneering in the recognition, exploration and preservation of the underwater archaeological heritage of Mexico.” Her recent publication can be viewed here

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) is the official department in charge of the Mexican cultural patrimony dating up to nineteenth century. In 1980, INAH created the Underwater Archaeology Department (DAS), in order to protect, research, conserve and disseminate the underwater cultural patrimony of Mexico, and to prepare future generations of underwater archaeologists. In 1995, the DAS was promoted to a Vice-Directorate.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

WASHINGTON (Feb 11, 2008) — Four innovative research projects have been selected to receive the inaugural National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants, established to support exploratory field work that may lead to breakthroughs in the natural and social sciences. The NGS/Waitt Grants Program, a collaboration between the National Geographic Society and the Waitt Institute for Discovery, is made possible by a grant from the Waitt Family Foundation.

The first NGS/Waitt grants have been awarded for a project to measure how two predator-prey species, ocelots and coatis, detect each other; for underwater research in the Sea of Cortez to identify clues into early human migration; for a study, using remote sensors, of the mating behavior of honeybees in Puerto Rico; and for a cave-diving exploration to map and protect Mexico’s underground rivers.

The NGS/Waitt Grants Program supports cutting-edge research projects in the initial search and exploration phase, when funding is most difficult to secure. Approximately 100 grants of $5,000 to $15,000 will be made annually to explorers and scientists in research fields such as biology, anthropology and the geosciences, who are working across disciplines and responding quickly to potential discoveries. Applications will be processed as they are received, and grants will be awarded promptly to help researchers take advantage of immediate opportunities. For more information about applying for an NGS/Waitt Grant, visitwww.nationalgeographic.com/waitt.

“National Geographic has a rich history of grant-making that dates back to the Society’s earliest days. The NGS/Waitt Grants Program will allow the Society to support nascent initiatives and untested concepts,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for Mission Programs. “It is our intent that when time is short and the stakes are high, NGS/Waitt Grants will ensure that opportunities for discovery are pursued.”

“We hope NGS/Waitt Grants will get intrepid and resourceful investigators out into the field where they will make exciting discoveries that otherwise would not have been possible,” said Ted Waitt, founder of the Waitt Family Foundation.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery helps facilitate major discoveries that will improve understanding of humanity’s past, provide better opportunities for people in the present and enhance the promise of the future. By supporting leading scientists and communicating the progress and process of discovery, the Waitt Institute for Discovery educates and motivates a wide audience to work together to promote a better future. The foundation’s commitment to science and exploration also has included support of the Society’s Genographic Project.

Since 1890, the National Geographic Society has supported more than 8,800 projects and expeditions worldwide, including conservationist Mike Fay’s current transect through the California redwoods and the Enduring Voices Project to document and preserve the planet’s endangered languages. The National Geographic Society funds projects in a broad range of disciplines and fields of exploration — from archaeology to zoology — through its Committee for Research and Exploration, Expeditions Council, Conservation Trust and Young Explorers Grants. Information about National Geographic’s grant programs is available atwww.nationalgeographic.com/field.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and five other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic also supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

(January 21, 2008) — The Waitt Institute for Discovery has partnered with the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) and the Instituto Nacional de Cultura de Panama (INAC) for an exploratory survey on the Rio Chagres and Isle San Telmo from January 22 – February 9, 2008 . Leading the expedition in Panama as Principle Investigators are Dr. James P. Delgado and Frederick “Fritz” Hanselmann.

Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, the Rio Chagres carried people and cargo from the Caribbean deep into the jungle, where overland trails would then deliver them to waiting ships in Panama City. The pirate Captain Henry Morgan used this very same route in 1671 when he sacked and burned Panama City – the second most important city in the Spanish New World at the time. Four of Morgan’s ships sank off the mouth of the Chagres as he made his escape. Dozens of ships went down near the mouth of the Chagres, yet many have not been located and none have been formally mapped or recorded.

Nearly 200 years later, the Isthmus of Panama became a major highway for gold seekers en-route to California. The passageway supported ships on their way to take part in the Gold Rush and chief among them was the steamship Lafayette (1851), which sank near the mouth of the Chagres River.

On the Pacific side, the Pearl Islands are home to one of only four known submarines from the Civil War era. The Submarine Explorer (1865) lies half-submerged on a beach on Isla San Telmo. These islands harbored pirates and buccaneers lying in wait for treasure-laden galleon en route from Peru to Panama City. They also supported the pearling boom of the mid-1800s, which brought the Explorer to Panama.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery is set to embark on this 18-day expedition, which includes several distinct operations in multiple locations around Panama. The expedition team led by Dr. Delgado and Fritz Hanselmann will first conduct a survey in the mouth of the Chagres River at the site of the fabled Castillo de San Lorenzo in a search for the steamship Lafayette and other wrecks from the Gold Rush era. The team will then transit the Panama canal to the Pearl Islands and complete an investigation of the Submarine Explorer started by Dr. Delgado in 2001. Additionally, a first-ever sonar survey of the waters around Isle San Telmo will be conducted.

Dr. James Delgado currently serves as the President of Institute of Nautical Archaeology. He has led or participated in shipwreck expeditions all over the world, including dives on the RMS Titanic, the Carpathia, and the notorious “ghost ship” Mary Celeste. Dr. Delgado served as the Executive Director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum in Vancouver, British Columbia for 15 years and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Explorers Club. He is the author or editor of over 30 books and co-hosted The Sea Hunters series with Clive Cussler.

Frederick “Fritz” Hanselmann is a nautical archaeologist currently conducting research in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Florida, and California. He is a lecturer with the Office of Underwater Science at Indiana University and is also a Research Associate with the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University. As part of the Indiana University archaeological team, Fritz is currently conducting fieldwork and research on a shipwreck near the Dominican Republic that could very well be that of Captain William Kidd.

The Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) was founded in 1973 and partnered with Texas A&M University in 1976. INA is devoted to the archaeological history of shipbuilding and seafaring around the world and has sponsored more than 160 excavations and surveys around the world.

The Instituto Nacional de Cultura de Panama (INAC) was created in 1974 and is currently headquartered in Las Bóvedas in the Old Town of Panama City. Their mission is to manage and oversee the preservation and conservation of Panama’s cultural resources.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

A joint collaboration between the Waitt Institute for Discovery and the Institute of Nautical Archeology.

(October 3, 2007) — In collaboration with Ships of Discovery and the Turks & Caicos National Museum, the Waitt Institute for Discovery will be conducting a detailed survey of the H.M.S. Endymion wreck site, as well as exploring the area surrounding Endymion Rock off the shores of Turks & Caicos. Designing and directing the expedition as Principle Investigator is Dr. Donald H. Keith, the Lead Nautical Archaeologist with Ship of Discovery the and trustee of the Turks and Caicos National Museum.

During the 18th century, many French and British ships leaving Hispañola bound for Europe were required to navigate the treacherous Turks Island Passage. A number of ships, like the H.M.S. Endymion, failed to clear a hidden reef south of Salt Cay, which guards the entrance to the passage. Though the Endymion came to rest in the shallows of the isolated reef, other vessels may have gone down in deeper, un-surveyed waters after striking the reef near Endymion Rock, so-named after the vessel that was first discovered there.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery will lead a two-week expedition in late November to document the current state of the H.M.S Endymion, as well as search the site for other shipwrecks. The research team will dive the site to closely document the Endymion, creating a record of the current state of the site for future comparison, while also providing deeper insight into the history of the region. The Waitt Institute for Discovery will perform a side-scan sonar and magnetometer survey of the area near the reef in an effort to locate any additional lost ships, as the possibility for discovery of unknown wrecks is also high.

Dr. Donald Keith has directed field research from the Bahamas to Panama and has participated in shipwreck investigations in more than a dozen foreign countries. He directed the excavation, analysis and conservation of the Molasses Reef wreck, the oldest shipwreck discovered in the Americas, which necessitated the establishment of the Turks & Caicos National Museum in 1991. He has since served as a trustee of the museum.

Dr. Keith has also spearheaded a multi-year and multi-national research effort to find the slave ship Trouvadore – a significant wreck in the cultural history of Turks and Caicos. He has led two previous Trouvadore expeditions, and is currently the Principal Investigator for the 2008 Search for the Trouvadore Expedition.

Ships of Discovery was established 1989 and Dr. Keith serves as its president. The organization’s mission is to “shed light on the ships that have made our planet one world – from the first truly transoceanic ships the world had ever seen, the ships of the Age of Columbus, to this, the Age of Discovery. “

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

The Dead Sea Scrolls
San Diego Natural History Museum
June 29, 2007 - January 6, 2008
http://www.sdnhm.org/scrolls/

In June, 2007, the Waitt Institute for Discovery partnered with the San Diego Natural History Museum for the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. The exhibition ran from June 29, 2007 through January 6, 2008 with more than 394,000 visitors attending.  

It represented the largest, most comprehensive collection of the Dead Sea Scrolls ever assembled and included authentic scrolls, illuminated biblical manuscripts, ancient artifacts, landscape and aerial photography, and interactive displays about science, discovery, and exploration. Thanks to the generosity of the Israel Antiquities Authority, 24 Dead Sea Scrolls (10 exhibited for the first time ever) were on display over the course of the six-month exhibition. The Museum also offered a robust educational program that included films, classes, audio tours, and 22 lectures by world-class scholars and archaeologists.  The Waitt Family Foundation was a major sponsor.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discovery is supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

The Waitt Family Foundation is proud to support the Fall 2006 season of the Giza Field School. Under the direction of Dr. Mark Lehner, this innovative educational experience welcomes inspectors from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities to collaborate with Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) archaeologists in a unique learning environment. Participants acquire the fundamental skills involved in archaeological mapping, excavation, and artifact analysis. This interdisciplinary program not only helps us to piece together the story of Giza’s glorious ancient past but enables us to contribute to the success of those entrusted to safeguard Egypt’s treasures for future generations. Click here to learn more about the AERA and the Giza Field School.

About the Waitt Institute for Discovery
The Waitt Institute for Discovery is a non-profit research organization that serves as an exploration catalyst, enabling scientific pioneers to transform the ways in which discoveries are made. The Waitt Institute for Discovery implements innovative technologies in the field through collaborations with world-renowned scientific institutions, synthesizing global expertise and accelerating groundbreaking research. Founded in 2005 by Ted Waitt, the Waitt Institute for Discovery seeks to advance human understanding of the past and secure promise of a better future through exploration and discovery. The Waitt Institute for Discoveryis supported by Ted Waitt and the Waitt Family Foundation.

QUESTIONS:

What is a codex?

What does the Codex contain?

Where was the Codex discovered?

How did the codex containing the Gospel of Judas survive for so many centuries?

What is the history of the codex containing the Gospel of Judas?

Was the Gospel of Judas known to scholars?

Who wrote the Gospel of Judas?

What does the publication of this text mean for Christian teachings?

How did Waitt Institute for Discovery get involved in the project?

Why has the Waitt Institute for Discovery decided to get involved in a project of this type?

How was the document authenticated?

Are the documents available for review online?

Where can I see the original codex?

ANSWERS:
What is a codex?

A codex is an ancient book consisting of folded pages, bound at one side. Codices were the preferred form for scriptural or classical texts as they could contain a lot more information than scrolls and were easier to manage.

What does the Codex contain?

The codex contains not only the Gospel of Judas, but also a text called James, the Letter of Peter to Philip, and a fragment of a text that scholars are provisionally calling Book of Allogenes.

Where was the Codex discovered?

The codex, containing the Gospel of Judas, was discovered in the 1970s near Al Minya, Egypt, and moved from Egypt to Europe to the United States. Once in the United States, it was kept in a safe-deposit box for 16 years on Long Island, N.Y., until an antiquities dealer bought it in September 2000. After unsuccessful efforts to sell the document, it was sold to the Maecenas Foundation for Ancient Art in Basel, Switzerland, in February 2001, for restoration and translation and eventual return to Egypt.

How did the codex containing the Gospel of Judas survive for so many centuries?

Because the Gospel of Judas was hidden in an Egyptian desert for more than 1,600 years, the papyrus remained intact. However, the document severely deteriorated when it was kept in a safe-deposit box on Long Island, N.Y. for 16 years. As a result, the restoration process has been an enormous undertaking, as Rodolphe Kasser and his team worked to piece the document back together by replacing nearly a thousand crumbling fragments.

Closeup of the Codex with ruler to show scale

What is the history of the codex containing the Gospel of Judas?

The National Geographic Society, having received a grant from the Waitt Family Foundation, worked with the Waitt Institute for Discovery and a team of international experts to analyze a collection of ancient papyrus documents, known as a “codex,” first discovered more than 30 years ago in Egypt. These rare religious texts, written in the ancient Egyptian Coptic language are nearly 1,700 years old. National Geographic collaborated with the Waitt Institute for Discovery, and scientific experts, historians and theologians from around the world to authenticate, conserve and translate these extraordinary documents, and explore their significance.

Was the Gospel of Judas known to scholars?

Scholars knew of the existence of the Gospel of Judas because of references in other ancient texts. The first known reference to a Gospel of Judas was by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, in A.D. 180. However, the codex containing the Gospel of Judas was not discovered until the 1970s in Egypt, and it wasn’t until 2001 that a team led by Professor Rodolphe Kasser of Switzerland, a world-renowned Coptic scholar, began to translate and restore this ancient text.

Professor Rodolphe Kasser

Who wrote the Gospel of Judas?

The author of the Gospel of Judas remains anonymous. It is believed that the original gospel was written first in Greek around A.D. 150 by a group of early gnostic Christians. The manuscript now being examined is believed to have been copied from the original Greek sometime around A.D. 300, and was written in Coptic.

What does the publication of this text mean for Christian teachings?

This is a dramatic archaeological discovery of cultural interest, which offers an alternate portrayal from the first or second century of the relationship between Jesus and Judas, and enhances our knowledge of history and preservation of theological viewpoints from that period. The Waitt Family Foundation and the Waitt Institute for Discovery, along with its partner National Geographic Society realizes that the information provided by this document is complex and deserves a great deal of further study and assessment, a process that will take time. To find out what leading scholars believe the significance of the document to be, visit National Geographic’s official Gospel of Judas Web site.

How did the Waitt Institute for Discovery get involved in the project?

The document changed hands a number of times following its discovery. The Maecenas Foundation for Ancient Art in Switzerland approached National Geographic to play a key role in the authentication and restoration of the codex. The Waitt Institute for Discovery worked with the National Geographic Society, and a grant from the Waitt Family Foundation underwrote the entire effort. After the restoration is complete and the codex had been exhibited to the public, the codex will be given to Egypt, where it will be housed in Cairo’s Coptic Museum.

Why has Waitt Institute for Discovery decided to get involved in a project of this type?

Learning from our past is an essential part of the Waitt Institute for Discovery’s approach to making tomorrow’s world a more informed and better place. Supporting important research and discovery that will add valuable new information to our understanding of the world’s culture and history exemplifies the mission of our organization. To this end the discovery and translation of the Gospel of Judas and Codex documents represents exactly that – a rare opportunity to shed new light on the historical, political, linguistic and cultural context surrounding this ancient Coptic manuscript from the third or fourth century.

Our interest is in helping researchers determine the historical significance of the documents, and ensuring that these documents and their content are available for scholars and people of faith to review and study for generations to come.

How was the document authenticated?

The codex has been authenticated as a genuine work of ancient Christian apocryphal literature on five fronts: radiocarbon dating, ink analysis, infrared photography, contextual evidence and paleographic evidence. Full details of the authentication process are available on National Geographic’s official Gospel of Judas Web site

Are the documents available for review online?

The Coptic text is available in its entirety online so that scholars around the world can have immediate access to it. The National Geographic Society has published the complete translation in a book with extensive footnotes. THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS (ISBN 1-4262-0042-0, April 2006, $22) is available in bookstores now.

Where can I see the original codex?

Several pages of the Gospel of Judas as well as pages from the other three texts in the codex will be on exhibit at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., beginning Friday, April 7, 2006. After Kasser and his team complete the restoration and translation of the manuscript in its entirety, the codex will be given to Egypt, where it will be housed in Cairo’s Coptic Museum.

Computer entrepreneur Ted Waitt goes from Switzerland to his pocketbook to bring the Gospel of Judas into the public domain

In April, the National Geographic Society announced that San Diego resident Ted Waitt had donated more than $1 million to fund the restoration and preservation of the Gospel of Judas manuscript. Waitt, 43, is the founder and former CEO of Gateway Inc., the computer maker. The La Jolla-based Waitt Family Foundation and Waitt Institute for Discovery are nonprofit organizations “dedicated to the improvement of mankind’s knowledge through historical and scientific exploration.” The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Diane Bell asked Waitt about his role in the Judas codex in an interview that was conducted via e-mail.

How and when did you first learn of the existence of the Judas codex and what was your role?

I first heard of the Gospel of Judas in 2004 in discussing various ideas for my institute with people from National Geographic. The whole concept blew me away. I’m on the council of advisers there and have backed large projects before like their Genographic Project (using DNA to trace early human migration). We were discussing other projects I could potentially fund, and that’s when I first heard of the Gospel of Judas. Next thing I knew, I was on a plane to Switzerland to see if it was real.

Ted Waitt, founder, Waitt Institute for Discovery

Did you ever see the document and, if so, when? Who had it at the time, and was there any intrigue involved?

The first time I saw the document was in early 2005 in what I could best describe as a “Swiss Howard Johnson” or a “Swiss truck stop.” We were upstairs of a gas station restaurant, and there were some very “dodgy” people there. I think one of them was probably packing a gun.

The codex was in very bad shape, and being stored in disposable Tupperware-type containers. The purported owners had a hard time answering questions of the document’s history, and where the document had been. They dodged questions as to who really owned it, where it came from, etc.

There was one good person there who I was very impressed with and trusted completely, and that was Dr. Rodolphe Kasser. He was the restorer and translator of the codex. The document looked so bad it had to be old. You just can’t fake that. He had been translating the document, and he read us excerpts and its contents were startling. I believed it to be authentic at that point, but wasn’t going to support further conservation or publication until we authenticated it scientifically.

I believed the document to be basically for sale at that point, although that was never stated directly, and most of my questions as to the provenance of the codex were never answered directly. We set out with National Geographic to rescue the documents, and share them with the world.

Did you or your Institute of Discovery actually “buy” the manuscript or pay for a portion of it? If you can’t divulge the price, can you say what it had been offered for sale for on the antiquities market by previous owners? I know you’ve said it will be donated to the Coptic Museum in Cairo, but who owns it now?

No, we were never interested in owning or purchasing the codex. I feel important artifacts like this should be part of the public domain. We provided a grant to National Geographic to secure the publishing rights to the documents. Our interests were first of all making sure it was authentic, so our grant was contingent on the carbon dating and other scientific tests to ensure this. Second of all, we wanted to make sure that a variety of biblical scholars had access to it to complete the proper restoration, translate and interpret the codex. And finally, we wouldn’t do anything with it unless we were assured it would be returned to Egypt.

The document was and still is “owned” by a Geneva-based nonprofit headed by Mario Roberty. As far as I know, that foundation is just a vehicle for Mario Roberty and Frieda Tchacos, another previous owner, to make money. That bothers some, but it was a small price to pay to be able to share the contents with the world.

I feel our grant allowed the document to be wrested from their control, translated and interpreted properly, published widely and appropriately, and then guaranteed to be returned to Egypt where it belongs. If it wasn’t for us, who knows what might have become of it.

What is your personal interest in learning what the documents actually said? Did you have a fairly good idea going into the expensive process of restoration and authentication, or were the contents a total mystery until the translation was initiated?

The codex containing the Gospel of Judas was torn and crumbling before conservation efforts began. Carbon dating and other scientific tests were conducted to authenticate it.
I find the contents of the codex fascinating, as well as the rest of the Gnostic gospels. Gnosis means knowledge, and the Gnostics thought that knowledge was the key to salvation. I knew the “punch line” of the Gospel of Judas before we made our grant (how, according to the codex, Judas was asked by Jesus to betray him), but that was about it. I didn’t know the entire contents.

There are many things in the document and in the entire codex that are as interesting or even more interesting than the portrayal of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. I’ll leave the contents and the interpretation of those passages to the biblical scholars, or to anyone who wishes to read the entire translation. It’s available on National Geographic’s Web site, or in the books that have been recently published.

The first time I read it was approximately three or four months before it was published, and I was blown away.

Were you or your institute involved in the initial authentication efforts of dating the papyrus, ink and writing style? (I assume this was done before restoration took place.)

The restoration of the document took place for several years, long before it was scientifically authenticated. Our grant to National Geographic that allowed them to publish the contexts of the codex was contingent on scientific proof that it was authentic.

National Geographic commissioned the carbon dating, papyrus, ink and handwriting analysis, etc., in order to receive our grant as well as to ensure them, obviously, that the codex was authentic. We got the results immediately. Once we got the results, we were very excited, and made the grant that started the chain of events toward publication.

Obviously great pains were taken to release this story at Easter time; was it difficult to keep this tremendous find a secret? How long ago was the translation actually completed?

I wouldn’t say great pains were taken to release it at Easter time. The release was actually moved up due to leaks and claims by other somewhat potentially jealous scholars who didn’t have access to the actual codex. The original release was timed for after Easter.

One only need to peruse the Internet to find a history of the document, and all sorts of radical claims as to the path it traveled. You can also check out the National Geographic book and documentary released during the launch chronicling the history of the document.

The full translation was available to us and a handful of scholars months before the release, but even up to the last minute the scholars were debating the meaning of specific words in it. The codex was remarkably difficult to translate due to the poor condition of the papyrus and many missing pieces. The scholars would always like more time to perfect their translations, and my sense is now that the document has been released to the world, the debate can now really begin as to its significance and meaning.

There are only a handful of Coptic scholars (the language the codex is written in) in the world, and many of the top experts had a hand in the translation. But most scholars I’ve talked to would still like more time to analyze it. You might see other interpretations coming out from (other) experts.

One biblical scholar noted that it took him three readings before he really started to see the similarities with the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Also, now there is hope that other missing pages or fragments of the codex are going to come forward that will help fill in some blanks, and that will add even more to our knowledge of the early history of Christianity.

What is your personal opinion about the importance of this discovery? Do you personally believe it is authentic?

It’s absolutely authentic, and extremely significant. I believe its greatest significance lies in getting more people to understand the early evolution of Christianity.

It’s significant to help people understand how there was substantial diversity in thought before various individual early Christian leaders decided to focus or give credence to just certain elements and views of Jesus’ teachings.

It’s also significant to note that the early Christians were more spiritual than religious, and followed Jesus’ teachings without the need of a hierarchical church. In these days of religious extremism causing great conflict in our world, it might help people to understand the diversity of the origins of their religions. It’s also significant in potentially bringing people of different faiths closer together.

Are you a religious man?

I’d view myself as more spiritual than religious, but I did take my kids to church on Easter.

Do you feel the responses in the media from religious leaders, etc., were right on target? How would you characterize them?

Well, it depends on which comments you are talking about. A Vatican scholar called the text “religious fantasy.” And the Rev. Robert Schuller said “why would anyone ever need more than Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?” Well, like all the gospels, these were stories. Stories according to someone, and from someone’s perspective.

The term gospel stands for good news. And they are accounts of stories people told for years before anyone wrote them down. The authorship of every gospel is in question as to who actually wrote them. There are even differences in how the accepted New Testament gospels portray Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. For instance, John is much harsher on Judas and his intentions and motivations versus the other gospels. So, it’s not surprising that these other gospels differ from the four originally chosen by Bishop Irenaeus in 180 A.D. as the true gospels.

Imagine this. Let’s say you died about 2,000 years ago, and your friends told their stories about you to their children and friends for approximately 100 years after you died. And then someone decides to write these stories down. And then they get translated from one language into another. And there’s as many as 30 different versions written down. And someone picks just four as the only ones anyone should see, renounces the others, and all this happens approximately 150 years after you die.

Would you expect them to all be the same? Would you be happy with just those four that some person who didn’t know you selected? Maybe, maybe not. But what about the other 26 versions of events? Maybe they were true, maybe not. Maybe they had other things in them that actually happened or that were important to you. No one really knows for sure. But odds are, there’s something in the 26 that you might have supported, and maybe something from the four that you might not have. The key is in understanding the general tone and intentions of your life in all of them, and making some important observations from that.

So, religious organizations will have their point of view, and I can respect that. I hope that people reading and understanding the impact of these types of gospels use them to learn and restore their faith and embrace more diversity of thought, rather than debating the historical facts that no one will ever be able to prove. The real significance lies in Jesus’ teachings and in his messages, more so than the specific facts of some of the stories told to demonstrate his teachings.

In my opinion, if someone considers themself a good “Christian,” they should read these gospels and make up their own mind as to the significance of these ancient documents. They can decide for themselves what Jesus meant to say, and what he wanted his message to be remembered as.

What do you think lies ahead for the Gospel of Judas? In your mind, should it be addended to the Bible?

No, I don’t think it will be added to the conventional bible, at least not any time soon. But, if you’re really interested, you can buy a Gnostic bible with all the other gospels that didn’t make the cut. The major find at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, decades ago was never added and never will be, and that contains the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Truth, and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, among many others.

But, I do hope this one will bring attention to diversity of thought in early Christianity, and that people will read them and make up their own mind. I think the debate is just starting, and the historians, scholars and the general public can now read them, discuss them, and decide what they think. There are some scholars that think of these Gnostic gospels as even more advanced teachings of Christ. They are not the easiest things to understand, and they are open to multiple interpretations. So different people might think different things from reading the same thing, but in the end, diversity is good. Knowledge is good.

What other similarly intriguing topic is your Institute for Discovery involved in or about to embark on?

I’m working on looking for things at the bottom of the ocean. Interesting stuff. Not as deep as Gnostic gospels, but potentially significant nonetheless.

Why is the Waitt Family Foundation contributing to the Genographic Project?


We are contributing $5 million to cover the cost of field research – the backbone of the Genographic project. Primarily, it will enable a consortium of ten distinguished researchers from prestigious institutions around the world to get their operations fully supplied with what they will need, in both personnel and materials, to carry out the DNA field sampling.

How are you supporting the field research?


On the human capital side, we are providing salary and living expenses for the ten researchers, the postdoctoral fellows and laboratory staff who will assist them during the project. Our funding will allow these individuals to travel out into the field and collect the samples from ethnically stable populations in each of their regions, over the five-year period. We are also supplying each center with the tools necessary for analysis, if they don’t already have these tools. That includes robots and machines used in the extraction and sequencing process of the DNA material. Finally, we are enabling the project’s Advisory Board and the Principal Investigators to convene on an annual basis, face-to-face, to review the research protocols and discuss significant findings.

Why did you choose to support this project?


The project’s end goals are very consistent with the charge of our Institute, which is to explore the past in order to address the problems of today and reveal untapped possibilities for the future. In addition, we were drawn to the project because of the people and the organizations involved. We believe this project couldn’t be carried off by any organization besides National Geographic. This is a form of exploration that is new, but it is consistent with what National Geographic does best – tell stories about things and places that most of us do not get to see or experience. With the likes of National Geographic, IBM, and Dr. Spencer Wells and his team of field researchers, the Waitt Institute for Discovery finds itself an important part of a powerful team.

What do you expect we will learn from this project?


By getting out in the field the next five years, Spencer Wells and his impressive team will be able to illustrate the journey of mankind in far more detail than ever before. At the beginning of that journey, humans branched out in many directions, creating cultural, physical, geographical, and philosophical differences that persist today. But by the end of our journey backward through time, we expect we will find that all of humanity came from the same place.

How will the project benefit us – the human race?


Our hope is that by improving the world’s collective understanding of humanity’s shared beginnings and similarities, we can reduce the tendency to emphasize our differences. That is an extremely powerful and positive message, especially given the state of the world today.

The Genographic Project is a landmark, global effort to further our understanding of the migratory history of our species. A research partnership of National Geographic and IBM, the Genographic Project will use cutting-edge genetic and computational technologies to discern historical patterns in the DNA of people from around the world. At the core of the five-year project is the worldwide field research conducted by 11 institutions, funded by the Waitt Family Foundation.

Spencer Wells, Ph.D., Genographic Project Director, and Ajay Royyuru, Ph.D., chief IBM scientist for the Genographic Project, answer pertinent questions about the project.

Explain the importance to you of having these global organizations, National Geographic and IBM, along with the Waitt Institute for Discovery, as collaborators on the Genographic Project.

Spencer: National Geographic is one of those rare organizations, trusted and respected around the world. It is almost universally admired as a research, education and media organization. As a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, I have what is probably the coolest job in the world.

IBM is the obvious partner for us as we launch the Genographic Project – a world leader in information technology, creators of the world’s most powerful computers and architects of some of the world’s most important databases. We hope that the Genographic Project will fall into the latter category as it progresses. IBM’s research team is also committed to undertaking groundbreaking new studies such as this, and I look forward to working with them over the next five years.

The Waitt Institute for Discovery has given us the critical funding we need to launch the field research, which is the core of the project. They had the foresight and chutzpah to take a chance on the project at an early stage in its development, and we are deeply indebted to them.

Ajay: Innovation by its very nature is open and collaborative, so this project gives us the chance to challenge ourselves to attempt something together that none of us could do by ourselves—certainly not something this innovative and on such a scale. To be able to work in partnership with world-class leaders in human population genetics, so that we can reveal a deeper understanding of human diversity, is exhilarating.

Talk about the consortium of scientists and researchers you have assembled for the field testing. How did you go about selecting them, and how will you coordinate and supervise their efforts?

Spencer: We assembled a team of top human population geneticists from around the world – 10 principal investigators focusing on indigenous peoples around the world, plus one focusing on ancient DNA, from the USA, Brazil, UK, France, Lebanon, South Africa, Russia, India, China and Australia. They are all experts in their respective fields, very thoughtful scientists, and passionate about the work they do. I’m lucky to be collaborating with them – it’s like having the “dream team” of human population genetics.

Coordination will be through direct contact, as well as semi-annual written reports and an annual conference. We want to be as collaborative as possible. Given the recent advances in information technology, it is now possible to envision a global, decentralized effort such as this that retains a significant amount of day-to-day interaction. IBM will be helping us out with this, designing a dedicated online chat room for all of the researchers. The overall goal of this infrastructure is to allow the consortium as much freedom as possible to set regional research agendas while maintaining the common vision of the project and its goals.

How will you work with the field researchers and IBM scientists to coordinate the input and analysis of the DNA information?

Spencer: I am now based at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC. I’ll make regular trips to meet with the IBM team, helping to guide the analyses. We’ll also have a significant amount of input on this part from the scientists at the regional centers. I will also try to get out in the field as often as possible. I tend to get kind of ‘itchy’ if I’m trapped behind a desk for too long, and love working with the local scientists and indigenous populations who will form the core of the project.

Ajay: I will lead a core team of IBM scientists who will devote most of their time to this project. As the project evolves, and as needed, we will tap IBM’s vast resources of IT and Life Sciences specialists for assistance. Spencer and I will work closely together to supervise the input and analysis of field research and public DNA samples. And, as someone who understands both the computational and biological aspects of DNA research, I hope to be able to provide valuable input and insights to the project.

What do you see as the primary possible outcomes of the Genographic project?

Spencer: There are three main outcomes I see from this project:

Scientific. We will discover many new things about the history of our species – origin, migration routes, and explanations for the current patterns of diversity.

Cultural. We will raise awareness about the issues facing indigenous peoples around the world, and perhaps help to halt the loss of indigenous cultural identities through the legacy project.

Educational. With the public outreach we have planned, we will educate the general public about genetics and anthropology. Hopefully the idea that we all share common ancestors in our recent past will help people to overcome some of the prejudices they might have.

Ajay: Everyone involved—National Geographic, IBM, the Waitt Family Foundation, the field investigators, and the public—has a common goal: to better understand human diversity.
I also hope one of the outcomes will be a deeper appreciation for the indigenous peoples of the world, through revelations borne of the field research and the analyses that demonstrate just how closely related we all really are.

From a scientific and technology point of view, I hope we can build a statistical model for human variation and migration through genotype and phenotype. The field research will validate or improve this model. There are a host of questions, for example, that are unique to each indigenous population—language, dialects, appearance—we want to answer. What correlations will we find? Can we trace how these particular characteristics are unique to individual indigenous groups?


You’ve talked about the puzzling theory that, after Africa, the next place that modern humans can be found is in Australia – yet no archeological evidence has been found along a land route to support that. Do you think the Genographic Project will, in some way, help substantiate that theory?

Spencer: I hope so, although there is already quite a bit of data to substantiate it. The issue of the routes followed when we left Africa – was there a single route along the coast that later split, or were there two distinct routes – is an important one. As with all of these questions about early dispersals, it will help us to understand how and possibly why some populations left Africa when they did.

What do you think your greatest challenges will be over the course of the project?

Spencer: I suspect it will actually be the sampling logistics. While the laboratory analyses are tedious and involved, great strides have been made as a result of the Human Genome Project, and with the division of labor among the 11 regional centers we will be able to do the laboratory work quite efficiently in parallel. Making contact with the populations we hope to sample, getting the necessary government permissions, arranging the logistics of the collections will all take a huge amount of work. This is why we are going to be taking blood samples from the indigenous groups – with all of the legwork involved in getting out into the field, we want to sample as much genetic material as possible when we get there.

Ajay: There will be many moving parts to this project. It is multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, vast in scope and scale, and taking place over a five-year period. Our challenge as an investigative team will be to stay organized and focused, and to be able to appreciate incremental progress as it occurs.

Aside from the follow-up work conducted through the legacy project, do you have any hope that the outcomes of the Genographic Project might somehow slow the disappearance of indigenous populations?

Spencer: I hope so. Members of indigenous groups, like the rest of us, move primarily for three reasons: lack of viable opportunities at home, better opportunities elsewhere (be they economic, cultural or familial), or forced resettlement. We hope that a combination of direct educational aid, coupled to a cross-platform media campaign aimed at raising global awareness about the issues faced by indigenous peoples, will help us to slow these processes in the cases where the people themselves want them to be slowed. We’re not trying to trap anyone in a tourist time-warp – only provide opportunities for people to live the way they’ve always lived.

To the person on the street, what do you think the most exciting or relevant outcome might be?

Spencer: To understand his or her connection to people around the world – that we are all linked to each other by a genetic thread, and that our threads are interwoven through the migrations of our ancestors. The results will reveal connections we probably didn’t know about, and show us the routes early humans followed to populate the globe. In this future-obsessed era, it’s important to seize a snapshot of our past before it is lost forever, in order to better understand ourselves and where we might be headed.

Ajay: It will be fascinating to discover: Who am I? Most people know their immediate recent genealogy, but beyond that, they have no clue. This project will help people better understand how each of them fits into this global puzzle, and where, along the way, varying groups of people crossed paths and helped to populate the world.