Dr. Lola Fatoyinbo, an MLK Visiting Scholar in the Media Lab's Space Enabled research group, has been named one of The Explorers Club 50 (EC50) for 2026 — an annual recognition of "fifty people changing the world, the world needs to know about." Fatoyinbo was recognized in the Innovators category.

A space ecologist and former NASA scientist, Fatoyinbo studies and protects the world's most vulnerable coastal ecosystems and tropical forests. She combines satellite, airborne, and field measurements to map ecosystem extents, carbon stocks, and change, especially in regions where on-the-ground access is limited. As an expert in mangrove ecosystems, she has characterized their vulnerability and response to disturbances from land use and climate change worldwide, and has developed new remote sensing instruments and innovative applications of satellite data for carbon monitoring, coastal resilience, and biodiversity conservation.

Each year, The Explorers Club recognizes 50 extraordinary individuals who are doing remarkable work to promote science and exploration. The Innovators category honors those who blaze new trails across uncharted challenges, pushing boundaries and igniting change with creativity and vision.