The Future of Life
Edward O. Wilson
- Research Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University
Named by Time as "one of the 25 most influential people in America" (1995), Harvard University Research Professor, Emeritus, E.O. Wilson is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century and the "father" of sociobiology and biodivesity. Two of his books have received Pulitzer Prizes, On Human Nature (1978) and The Ants (1990), authored with ASU's School of Life Sciences professor, Bert Holldobler. Wilson's seminal works on the evolution of social behavior and commitment to conservation continue to shape the face of science, philosophy, ethics and activism.
He will speak about the importance of global diversity and the concern of increasing rates of extinction due to human activity. He shares his cautious optimism about the future coupled with a call to action to avoid "an irreparable loss in wealth, environmental security, and spirit for the generations to come." He is the recipient of innumerable honors, including the National Medal of Science, the gold medal of the World Wildlife Fund, and the Crafoord Prize, the Swedish equivalent to the Noble Peace Prize for ecology. He sits on the boards of the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, and the American Museum of Natural History.