School Notes: School of the Environment
November/December 2014

Dean wins international prize

F&ES dean Peter Crane has received the 2014 International Prize for Biology—administered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)—for his work on the evolutionary history of plants. The honor, which comes with a prize of 10 million yen, is awarded annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of research in fundamental biology. Crane will receive the award in December during a ceremony in Tokyo that will be attended by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Over more than three decades, Crane’s work has integrated data from living plants with new discoveries from the paleontological record to provide critical insights into the early history of plants and how they shaped the modern biosphere. “This recognition affirms a principle that has guided so much of my work,” Crane said. “To understand the present one must also know the past. Indeed, if we hope to truly understand and better manage the world of plants, we must know more about their history.”

Professor honored by forest researchers

F&ES Professor Chad Oliver was awarded the prestigious Host Country Scientific Achievement Award from the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the largest global network of forest researchers, during its World Congress in Salt Lake City in October. He is one of three recipients of the award, which recognizes outstanding career achievements by scientists from the nation hosting the event. Oliver—the Pinchot Professor of Forestry and Environmental Studies and director of the Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry at F&ES—was honored for contributions to silviculture, forest ecology, and sustainable resource management. According to the US Forest Service, host of the World Congress, Oliver’s work has deepened the scientific understanding of basic biophysical processes of forest dynamics and the interactions of human societies and forests. “This richly deserved honor recognizes Chad Oliver as one of the preeminent forestry scientists of his generation,” said F&ES dean Peter Crane. “During his career, he has helped us better understand how forests develop, at multiple scales and in all parts of the world, and how they can be more sustainably managed.”