Wong How Man, President and Founder of the China Exploration & Research Society (CERS), was born and raised in Hong Kong, and educated in the United States in Journalism and Art. Wong's career in China began in 1974, first as a journalist during the tail end of the Cultural Revolution, later as an explorer/writer/photographer for the National Geographic. Since 1986 he has been head of CERS, a non-profit organisation that has committed itself to exploring China's remote regions and implementing projects to conserve nature and culture, in a sensitive and equitable manner.
He has led many multi-disciplinary expeditions first for the National Geographic and later for CERS and has been credited with, among other accomplishments, the discovery of a new source for the Yangtze River. In 2002 Time Magazine chose Wong as one of its 25 Asian Heroes, calling Wong "China's most accomplished living explorer".
He has also received many awards for his books and the conservation projects he conceived and directed.
Supported by governments, foundations, individuals and corporations, his work has been disseminated widely by major international media, including Discovery Channel, BBC, CNN, National Geographic, ABC, CNBC, CCTV, etc.
CERS draws from the collective experience of a select and dedicated Board of Directors drawn from diverse sectors of the Chinese community. Its vision is to become a model for equitable conservation, complementing sustainable development in the 21st Century.
Although the pilot projects CERS undertakes are geographically located in China, they should allow for replication or serve as case studies for other parts of the world. The spirit of exploration, exemplified by their innovative approach to answering the problems they encounter, permeates all aspects of the organization.
It is this spirit, inherent to all mankind, which CERS seeks to perpetuate.