Dr. Peter Raven, president of the Missouri Botanical Garden and world renowned climate expert, will present “A Sustainable Earth: How Do We Get There?” on Thursday, October 25, 7 p.m. at the Old Post Office in downtown St. Louis, 815 Olive Blvd. His lecture is part of the Issues of the 21st Century Series presented by the Holden Public Policy Forum at Webster University.

Peter H. Raven, a world leader in conservation and biodiversity, has devoted more than 35 years at the Missouri Botanical Garden to building a world-class institution of research, education and horticultural display. He is the recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest award given in this country for scientific accomplishment.  Described by TIME Magazine as a “Hero for the Planet,” Raven champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment. He has served as president of the Missouri Botanical Garden and as the George Engelmann Professor of Botany at Washington University since 1971.

Under Raven’s leadership, the Missouri Botanical Garden has become a leader in botanical research in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with strong programs in North America as well. The Garden’s education program in the St. Louis region reaches more than 100,000 students each year and provides professional development opportunities for area teachers. The splendid horticultural displays attract more than 600,000 visitors to the Garden annually, including tourists to St. Louis. This year, the exhibition by glass artist Dale Chihuly has enhanced attendance greatly, as has the wonderful new Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden opened last spring.

As a result of his work in science and conservation, Raven is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards. Raven received the 1988 St. Louis Award for outstanding service to the community and was named the 1989 St. Louis Man of the Year.  Six years later, he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 1999, he received the Regional Chamber and Growth Association’s Right Arm of St. Louis Award and was named to the Academy of Missouri Squires. He also has held Guggenheim and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowships.

Dr. Raven is co-editor of the “Flora of China”, a joint Chinese- American international project that is producing a contemporary account of the roughly 31,000 species of plants of China.  He has written numerous books and publications, both popular and scientific, and is senior author of “The Biology of Plants”, the internationally best-selling textbook in botany, now in its seventh edition, and of “Environment,” a leading textbook on the environment, in its fifth 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 holds honorary degrees from a number of universities around the world, including St. Louis University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, University of Missouri-Columbia, Washington University, Webster University and Maryville University.  Last spring he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science degree by Yale University.
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