Professor Edward O. Wilson, Chair of the Program Committee, is a prominent entomologist, widely known for his study of ants, and is also the primary author of the theory of sociobiology. He has received numerous awards in science, letters, and conservation, including: The National Medal of Science (1977), the Crafoord Prize of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science (1990), the Japanese Government's International Prize for Biology (1993), and most recently, the Benjamin Franklin Medal, American Philosophical Society (1998). Two of his books, On Human Nature and The Ants, were awarded Pulitzer Prizes, and he has been awarded numerous honors for his other much praised books and articles. His latest book, CONSILIENCE, has just been published. Dr. Wilson is the recipient of the Gold Medal, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF-International) (1990) and the Audubon Medal, National Audubon Society (1995). Presently, Prof. Wilson is the Pellegrino University Research Professor at Harvard University, where he received his Doctorate in Biology in 1955. He serves on the Board of Directors of the following organizations: the American Academy of Liberal Education, the American Museum of Natural History, and The Nature Conservancy. Prof. Wilson resides in Lexington, Massachusetts with his wife Irene.