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EDWARD WILSON

Edward Osborne Wilson is a world leading biologist and internationally recognized as one of the planet’s most articulate authorities on the interrelatedness of knowledge disciplines and of life systems.
He is acknowledged for two interdisciplinary scientific disciplines (island biogeography and sociobiology), three unifying concepts for science and the humanities jointly (biophilia, biodiversity studies, and consilience), and one technological advance in the study of global biodiversity (the Encyclopedia of Life).
A native of Alabama, Wilson grew up in Mobile and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from The University of Alabama (1949, 1950) and his doctoral degree in biology from Harvard University (1955).
Wilson has received more than 100 awards for his research on ants and biodiversity and for his writings addressed to both scientific and non-scientific audiences. He has received two Pulitzer Prizes in general non-fiction for his books On Human Nature (1979) and The Ants (1991); the Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; the International Prize of Biology of Japan; and the Nonino and Serono Prizes for Letters and Sciences of Italy.
His work in the sciences, letters, the environment and conservation earned him prominence in the annals of the 21st Century. He was named one of the 25 most influential Americans by Time magazine and one of the world’s 100 leading intellectuals by Foreign Policy magazine. He is the author of 28 books including the recent novel, Anthill, set in the woods of South Alabama; The Social Conquest of Earth; the soon-to-be-released profile of his boyhood hometown, Why We Are Here: Mobile and the Spirit of a Southern City.

DAMIAN WOETZEL

Damian Woetzel was a Principal Dancer at New York City Ballet and frequently performed internationally as a guest star and visiting artist with numerous companies including the Kirov Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, until his retirement from the stage in 2008. Woetzel currently serves as the Director of Arts Programs for the Aspen Institute, the Artistic Director of the Vail International Dance Festival, and as the Founding Director of the Jerome Robbins New Essential Works Program. Woetzel is also active as a director and producer outside these roles. Among his recent projects, Woetzel produced and directed an arts salute to Stephen Hawking at Lincoln Center for the World Science Festival, and directed the first performance of the White House Dance Series, which took place in the East Room of the White House and was hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama. Woetzel also works with Yo-Yo Ma on his Silk Road Connect program in the New York City Public Schools, and has twice directed culminating year-end performances; at the Museum of Natural History in 2010, and for the Central Park SummerStage series in 2011. Woetzel was appointed to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities by President Obama in 2009. In July 2012, Woetzel was honored with the inaugural Gene Kelly Legacy Award—an award jointly created by the Dizzy Feet Foundation and the Estate of Gene Kelly in honor of the 100th anniversary of Kelly’s birth—for his contributions to the arts as a ballet star and director of dance and music performances.
In June 2011, Woetzel was named the Director of Arts Programs at the Aspen Institute. Under Woetzel’s direction, the Aspen Institute Arts Program brings together leading artists, arts managers, sponsors, government officials

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