HISTORY

In 2003, Milbry Polk and Leila Hadley Luce founded WINGS WorldQuest to shine a light on the under-recognized discoveries and accomplishments of women explorers, promote women working in the field sciences, and inspire the next generation of problem solvers. The WINGS Women of Discovery Awards and Fellows Programs were created to provide critical, unrestricted grant funding for women explorers and scientists actively out in the field; to facilitate their collaboration; and to ensure their ideas and insights were brought to the public, including to young women and girls seeking inspiration and role models.

In 2005, the WINGS Flag Carrier Program was established to fund critical expeditions and field work exemplifying the WINGS international community of explorers. Flag Carriers share their scientific findings in an official, original Flag Report on the WINGS website. More than 100 Flag Carriers have flown the numbered WINGS flags across every continent and at both poles.

In 2014, WINGS established the Emergency Fund to ensure the safety of WINGS Fellows and Flag Carriers who unexpectedly find themselves in danger or become injured in the field and require urgent evacuation. 

In 2018, the WINGS Associate Board, a group of young professional women passionate about enabling extraordinary women to achieve and discover, was founded to raise funds to underwrite a Fellows grant annually, increase awareness of the mission, grow the network among young professionals and scientists, and mentor the next generation of leaders in science, exploration and philanthropy.