A prominent botanist and advocate of conservation and biodiversity, Peter H. Raven is both a leader in academic botany as well as the Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Dr. Raven is past President and Chairman of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the largest organization of professional scientists in the world. He is also Chairman of the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration, and Chair of the Division of Earth and Life Studies of the National Research Council, which includes biology, chemistry, and geology. Dr. Raven was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2000.
Under Dr. Raven's leadership, the Missouri Botanical Garden became a leader in botanical research in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, as well as North America. Dr. Raven's research interests focus on the the systematics, evolution, and biogeography of the plant family Onagraceae, which is one of the most thoroughly studied plant families of its size. Through studying Onagraceae, Dr. Raven and his team have found a powerful model for understanding patterns and processes of plant evolution in general. Dr. Raven is also particularly interested in plant biogeography (the evolutionary history of entire biota and the individual taxa found in certain regions) and the ways in which these organisms have been influenced by continental movements.
Dr. Raven completed his A.B. in botany at the University of California at Berkeley in 1957, and his Ph.D. in plant sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1960.
Information as of 1989