Don Melnick
Encyclopedia
Don J. Melnick is an environmental biologist and conservationist. He holds the position of Thomas Hunt Morgan
Professor of Conservation Biology at Columbia University
, where he is also professor of anthropology
and biological sciences.
He served as the founding Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation
(CERC), a consortium of organizations including Columbia, the American Museum of Natural History
, the New York Botanical Garden
, the Wildlife Conservation Society
, and Wildlife Preservation Trust International. He also served as co-chair of the United Nations
Millennium Task Force
on Environmental Sustainability, charged with reporting on the Millennium Development Goals
for global environmental sustainability to the Secretary General.
Melnick received his Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from Yale
in 1981, and became one of Columbia's youngest tenured faculty members, as well as the youngest person ever to serve as chair of Columbia's Anthropology Department. For six years (1987-1993), he lived in one of Columbia's undergraduate dormitories as faculty-in-residence.
Thomas Hunt Morgan
Thomas Hunt Morgan was an American evolutionary biologist, geneticist and embryologist and science author who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933 for discoveries relating the role the chromosome plays in heredity.Morgan received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in zoology...
Professor of Conservation Biology at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he is also professor of anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and biological sciences.
He served as the founding Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation
Center for Environmental Research and Conservation
The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation builds environmental leadership and emphasizes the essential role of the natural world in sustainable development...
(CERC), a consortium of organizations including Columbia, the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
, the New York Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden
- See also :* Education in New York City* List of botanical gardens in the United States* List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City- External links :* official website** blog*...
, the Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
, and Wildlife Preservation Trust International. He also served as co-chair of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Millennium Task Force
United Nations Millennium Project
The Millennium Project is an initiative that focuses on research implementing the organizational means, operational priorities, and financing structures necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals or . The goals are aimed at the reduction of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy,...
on Environmental Sustainability, charged with reporting on the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
for global environmental sustainability to the Secretary General.
Melnick received his Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1981, and became one of Columbia's youngest tenured faculty members, as well as the youngest person ever to serve as chair of Columbia's Anthropology Department. For six years (1987-1993), he lived in one of Columbia's undergraduate dormitories as faculty-in-residence.