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HIGHLIGHTS OF LIN ’ S HIGH-TECH EXPEDITIONS :
MONGOLIA
Lin ’ s Valley of the Khans project sought to identify the site of Genghis Khan ’ s tomb using aerial and satellite imaging , and noninvasive geophysical surveying like groundpenetrating radar , magnetometry and 3-D data visualization .
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CHINA
Similar technology helped
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Lin survey the First Emperor ’ s tomb in China , including his legion of terra cotta soldiers and grim and macabre secrets from the largest tomb complex ever discovered .
GLOBETROTTING ( clockwise from top left ) Lin gallops over the Mongolian steppe searching for Genghis Khan ; spelunking Arizona ' s Lower Antelope Canyon caves ; at the scene of his off-roading accident ; shooting a Nat Geo series in Norway ; exploring Guatemalan ruins with UC San Diego students ; in a Black Hawk helicopter over Jordan ; surveying the First Emperor ’ s Tomb in China ; and hiking with his kids in Death Valley .
GUATEMALA Lin and UC San Diego students used drone-based LiDAR ( Light Detection and Ranging ) imaging to identify more than 60,000 ancient sites — palaces , highways and other features hidden by jungle .
Many of Lin ' s expeditions became National Geographic documentaries — learn more at tritonmag . com / lin
Maurizio Seracini ’ 73 . Seracini talked about new technology that allowed researchers to study cultural artifacts without harm or intrusion , and opened Lin ’ s eyes to how they could see below the surface of paintings and through walls using multispectral imaging and other non-destructive techniques . The lecture also introduced him to the interdisciplinary endeavors of the Qualcomm Institute , known then as the UC San Diego division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology , or Calit2 .
“ I immediately fell in love with that place ,” Lin remembers . He started showing up at the institute , a research unit on campus , every day . “ I ’ d be in a suit , but with no job , just pretending I belonged there . I found a desk to sit at , and I just sort of shoehorned my way in .”
Though he was essentially a squatter , institute directors Larry Smarr and Ramesh Rao nurtured Lin ’ s drive and curiosity . “ They didn ’ t dismiss me ,” says Lin . “ It really is a place where ideas can sprout . They gave me a fishing license in a way , because they let me use this amazing place as a home base .”
Little by little , Lin built credibility and partnerships , while still being determined and scrappy . It all paid off when the president of National Geographic made a visit to campus . Lin figured out his path , hopped on his bike and caught him in front of the Price Center . “ I had a one-page proposal and a one-minute pitch ,” he says with a laugh . “ I wouldn ’ t let him leave until he gave me his card — and that ’ s when really I started harassing him .”
Lin earned a grant from National Geographic for his Khan project , and with the connections fortuitously made on his previous trip , he gained access to Mongolia ’ s so-called “ Forbidden Zone ,” where Khan ’ s tomb is
26 TRITON | WINTER 2020