Article Summary:

National Geographic named the late Wes Skiles and environmental anthropologist Kenny Broad as National Geographic “Explorers of the Year” at last night’s “Evening of Exploration” event. This new award was presented in recognition of their extraordinary achievements in exploring and documenting the Blue Holes of the Bahamas in 2010.

Broad is a professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and director of the University of Miami’s Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. He also co-directs the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia University whilst Skiles worked as a freelance photographer and produced, directed and filmed over 100 television films, many of which have won international awards and acclaim. Skiles died following a dive off of Florida in July 2010