Dr. Jane Lubchenco has been announced as the 2016 winner of
the Linus Pauling Legacy Award sponsored by the Oregon State University
Libraries and Press. Dr. Lubchenco holds the title of university distinguished
professor and advisor in Marine Studies at Oregon State University and was formerly
the administrator of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
and under secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
The Pauling Award recognizes outstanding achievement in a
subject of interest to the famous scientist and two-time Nobel laureate, and several
of the previous recipients were Nobel Prize winners. Lubchenco is the ninth winner
of the prestigious award.
As part of the celebration marking the award, Dr.
Lubchenco will deliver a free public lecture in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday,
April 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Ave. Her
talk is titled “Scientists Making Waves and Bringing Hope.”
In addition to her work at Oregon State University, Lubchenco
is currently serving as the first U.S. science envoy for the oceans and is an
international expert on marine ecology, environmental science and climate
change. She is a pioneer in the development of marine protected areas and
reserves, which is an effort to help replenish fisheries and promote a healthy
economy while also protecting habitats and biodiversity.
“Your accomplishments and leadership in ecology and
environmental sustainability are impressive,” said Faye A. Chadwell, the Donald
and Delpha Campbell university librarian and OSU press director who announced
Lubchenco as the recipient of the award. “Linus Pauling would have applauded
your focus on the interactions between the environment and human well-being, as
much of the work that he undertook during his long and varied career was
dedicated to improving the human condition.”
Linus Pauling, the most distinguished graduate in OSU
history, is the only recipient of two unshared Nobel Prizes, for chemistry and
peace. The papers of Pauling and his wife, Ava Helen Pauling, are held by OSU
Libraries Special Collections and Archives Research Center, and the Linus
Pauling Institute at OSU continues to pursue Pauling’s interest in the study of
micronutrients and phytochemicals in diet and optimum health.
With a Ph.D. in ecology from Harvard University, Lubchenco
is one of the most highly cited ecologists in the world, and she has received
numerous awards including a MacArthur “genius” award and 19 honorary
doctorates. Her academic career as a professor began at Harvard University and
continued at Oregon State University (1977-2009) until her appointment as Administrator
of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Following
her work for the NOAA, Lubchenco returned to Oregon State.
Lubchenco’s lecture in Portland is wheelchair
accessible. Individuals requiring other accommodations should contact Don Frier
at 541-737-4633 or don.frier@oregonstate.edu by April 20 so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
