The crossword solution for the term 'SCI-FI PIONEER' is 'VERNE'. Jules Verne was a French novelist, poet, and playwright who is widely regarded as one of the most influential science fiction writers of all time. He wrote some of the earliest works of science fiction, including Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days. His works laid the foundation for modern science fiction and inspired generations of readers.