Likens, Gene E.
Gene E. Likens (1935-) is an American limnologist and ecologist who led the team of scientists that documented the link between fossil fuel combustion and an increase in the acidity of precipitation in North America, now known as acid rain. His long-term analyses of precipitation began in 1963 at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, which he co-founded in 1962. The discovery of acid precipitation prompted the world's first international symposium on acid rain, influenced policy makers, motivated scientific studies, and increased public awareness of human-accelerated environmental change. These data subsequently contributed to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments in the United States.
Gene E. Likens was born in Pierceton, Indiana, USA. He received his B.S. from Manchester College, Manchester, Indiana, USA, and his M.S. as well as Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. He is President Emeritus and Founding Director of the Institute of Ecosystem Studies (IES) in Millbrook, New York, USA, which he founded in 1983, and he remains a Distinguished Senior Scientist, Ecologist at the Institute under its new name, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. He is also Professor at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Adjunct Professor at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA. Dr. Likens holds several honorary doctorates, was elected to be a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1981 and of the American Philosophical Society in 2006. He was also awarded the 1993 Tyler Prize, the 2001 Huxley Medal, the 2001 National Medal of Science, and the 2003 Blue Planet Price for outstanding scientific research that helps to solve global environmental problems. He has written about 500 publications.
Further Reading
Gene E. Likens' Personal Webpage
