Thor Heyerdahl, Jr. was a Norwegian marine scientist and author who studied natural sciences at the University of California, with a focus on marine biology. In 1970, he attained a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Oslo. As part of his research at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, he tracked whales and polar bears, conducted fishery surveys and monitored oceanic oil pollution. This work took him from the coastal waters of Norway and Greenland to the North Sea and the Arctic.

Thor also played an integral role in the development of Oslo’s Kon-Tiki Museum, which commemorates the incredible life and voyages of his namesake father— Thor Heyerdahl, the great Norwegian anthropologist and explorer. Thor Heyerdahl, Jr. was once the museum board’s chairman and then, before his death, served as a director and senior advisor.