The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Often described as the modern day Indiana Jones, Parcak uses infrared imagery from satellites to uncover ancient archaeological sites. A pioneer of space archaeology, she has earned acclaim for being among the first to apply satellite imaging to locate archaeological sites in Egypt. A professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she founded the Laboratory for Global Observation, a TED Fellow, and National Geographic Fellow, Parcak gained international attention for satellite mapping all of Egypt and unearthing 17 potential unknown pyramids, 1,000 tombs and 3,100 settlements.