Class News
Thomas Lovejoy '64 wins NCSE Lifetime Achievement Award
February 7, 2017
Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, PhD, received the NCSE Lifetime Achievement Award at NCSE 2017, the 17th National Conference and Global Forum on Science, Policy, and the Environment. The NCSE 2017 theme was "Integrating Environment and Health." The conference took place in Washington, DC on January 24-26, 2017.
Dr. Bob Musil '64 was in attendance when Dr. Lovejoy received his award. Bob reports: "Tom was modest as usual with his recognition at the NCSE Conference, but also the only one to take on the question of how scientists should respond to the attacks on science (and facts…) from the new administration. I was glad to be there to honor him!"
Dr. Lovejoy has been a pioneering researcher on biodiversity and the Amazon rainforest since 1965. He has been at the forefront of researching the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in the region. Dr. Lovejoy strongly believes “humans are inevitably connected to the rest of life on earth — whether it’s through ecosystem services, or through some direct product that we are taking from nature.”
This belief led him to found the public television series Nature, which has won more than 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film community, parent groups, and environmental organizations. Dr. Lovejoy has received numerous awards for his work, including the Tyler Prize in 2002 and the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Ecology and Conservation Biology category in 2009.
“Through his leadership, intellect, and commitment to public service, Dr. Lovejoy has had lasting, positive impacts on the environment and health,” said Michelle Wyman, NCSE Executive Director.
NCSE’S Lifetime Achievement Award is a prestigious annual recognition of individuals who significantly contribute to environmental science and improving environmental decision-making. Past recipients of this award have been world-renowned leaders in the fields of science, policy, and the environment. Each awarded individual has dedicated his or her career to advancing science for the public good, and has made a substantial and recognizable contribution to the field of environmental science.
Tom Lovejoy has authored and edited several books on the environment. Find them on this website's Publications page.