Dr. Steven Hubbell, Co-Founder of the Center for Tropical
Forest Science was presented a Scientific Achievement award at the International
Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) opening ceremonies on October 6,
2014. Dr. Hubbell is the first American to be presented with the honor in 40
years.
Dr. Hubbell was chosen for this year’s award because a he's a
“visionary scientist who has made unparalleled contributions to understanding
the biological diversity and ecology of tropical forests.” He is a fellow of
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, and he received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1983,
among many other things. He joined the UCLA faculty in 2007 and is now a
Distinguished Professor.
In a 2011 interview, Dr. Hubbell said "We need much
better data on the distribution of life on Earth, We need to rapidly increase
our understanding of where species are on the planet. We need citizens to
record their local biodiversity; there are not enough scientists to gather the
information. We also need much deeper thought about how we can estimate the
extinction rate properly to improve the science behind conservation planning.
If you don't know what you have, it is hard to conserve it.”
He developed his love for ecology at an early age. "When
I was a kid, I spent a lot of time doing non-macho things like collecting
butterflies and turning over rocks,” he said. “The only way we’re going to save
nature is by making sure future generations experience nature.
"I deeply appreciate being nominated for and receiving
the IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award,” Dr. Hubbell said. “It is a real
pleasure to receive this unexpected honor.”