We welcome wilderness survival expert and archeologist Chris Begley to Eastern Standard. Chris is providing a series of features focused on ways to safely enjoy adventures in the Great Outdoors - from hiking in back-country to scuba diving and whitewater rafting. 

Dr. Begley, an archaeologist with over 25 years of experience working in North America, Latin America, and Europe, teaches wilderness skills courses, focusing on the decision-making and skills needed to survive and find your way home in emergency situations. He uses peer-reviewed science to create strategies for surviving emergencies in remote areas. 

Chris earned his doctorate from the University of Chicago (1999), where he focused on the archaeology of the remote jungles of the Mosquito Coast of Honduras. He has conducted archaeological research in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Bolivia, Spain, Italy, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Greece. Recently, he has focused on underwater archaeology as well as developing archaeological imaging technology, especially 3D imaging systems. 

In addition to underwater archaeology, Dr. Begley uses his archaeological and underwater skills in search and recovery efforts, and was recently approved by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to lead underwater recovery efforts for missing service members. He has worked with law enforcement in recovering missing persons in Kentucky, Indiana, and Oregon.

He was a Fulbright Scholar and a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow, was named a National Geographic Explorer in 2012 and one of the World’s 50 Most Adventurous Men by Men’s Journal Magazine in 2015. He has been featured in The New Yorker, National Geographic, American Archaeology magazine, and in documentaries on the BBC, Discovery Channel, and elsewhere. A recent book, ‘Jungleland’ by Christopher Stewart, chronicles his adventures in Honduras. He is the director of The Exploration Foundation and a professor at Transylvania University.

Click on the image to visit Chris's site.