Peter H. Raven, is Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Engelmann Professor of Botany at Washington University in St. Louis, positions he has held for some 31 years. Currently, he is Chair of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, of the National Geographic Committee's Committee for Research and Exploration, and of the National Research Council's Division of Earth and Life Sciences.

Described by Time magazine as a "Hero for the Planet," Dr. Raven champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment. In recognition of his work in science and conservation, Dr. Raven has been the recipient of the National Medial of Science and of numerous other prizes and awards. He served as president of the Botanical Society of America in 1975 and received the Society's Award of Merit in 1977. He has held Guggenheim and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, and is a member of the academies of science in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and several other countries, as well as the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Raven is co-chairman of the editorial board of the Flora of China, a joint Chinese-American international project that is leading to a contemporary account on all the plants of China. He has written numerous books and publications, both popular and scientific, including Biology of Plants (co-authored with Ray Evert and Susan Eichhorn), the internationally best-selling textbook in botany, now in its sixth edition, and Environment, co-authored with Linda Berg, now in its third edition.

Dr. Raven received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1960 after completing his undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkeley. He has received honorary degrees from a number of universities in this country and throughout the world.