Robert Ulanowicz

Robert Ulanowicz
Born 17 September 1943
Baltimore, Maryland
Residence Gainesville, Florida
Fields theoretical ecology
thermodynamics
Institutions University of Maryland
Alma mater Johns Hopkins University
Notable awards 2007 Ilya Prigogine Medal

Robert Edward Ulanowicz is an American theoretical ecologist and philosopher of Polish descent who is best known for his search for a unified theory of ecology.[1] He was born September 17, 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland.

He served as Professor of Theoretical Ecology at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Maryland until his retirement in 2008. Ulanowicz received both his BS and PhD in chemical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1964 and 68, respectively.

Dr. Ulanowicz currently resides in Gainesville, Florida.

Overview

Ulanowicz uses techniques from information theory and thermodynamics to study the organization of flows of energy and nutrients within ecosystems. Although his ideas have been primarily applied in ecology, many of his concepts are abstract and have been applied to other areas in which flow networks arise, such as economics.

Though Ulanowicz began his career with substantial successes in modeling of ecological systems using differential equations, he soon reached the limits of this approach. Realizing that any ecosystem is a complex system, he decided to move away from what he saw as the inappropriate use of a reductionist approach, and instead began to work towards development of theoretical measures of the ecosystem as a whole, such as ascendency.

Publications

Ulanowicz has authored or co-authored over a hundred articles in theoretical ecology and related areas of philosophy, especially those dealing with autocatalysis and causality. He has authored three books to date.[2]

Palms

While living in Maryland, Ulanowicz took up a hobby of cultivating and casually breeding cold-hardy palm trees; he drew attention for a Windmill palm on Solomons Island that grew taller than the one-story building it was planted outside.[3]

Awards

Ulanowicz was named the recipient of the 2007 Ilya Prigogine Medal for outstanding research in ecological systems.[4] He participated in the Stock Exchange of Visions project in 2007.[5]

Ulanowicz was a featured speaker at the 2009 Ill STOQ International Conference entitled "Biological Evolution: Facts and Theories," which discussed the impacts and effects of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996.
  2. ↑ Profile: A Scientist for All Seasons Chesapeake Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 3
  3. ↑ Erica Mitrano, "Palm gracing Solomons conjures a tropical breeze", Southern Maryland Newspapers Online, Oct. 25, 2006.
  4. ↑ ECOSUD 2007: Sixth International Conference on Ecosystems and Sustainable Development
  5. ↑ Stock Exchange of Visions: Robert E. Ulanowicz, Ecologist
  6. ↑

External links