ESA Living Past Presidents
The Governing Board of ESA established the Past Presidents 2015 Committee in 2011, with Jean Langenheim as Chair, to assist in preparations for the Centennial.
One of their major projects was this timeline. It covers the terms of living past presidents from 1968 to 2014, but includes photos of the deceased presidents within this time frame. Each living president was asked to provide a photo of their choice and to encapsulate in a brief statement what they consider to be the most significant accomplishment or event during their tenure in office. In a separate document the presidents were asked to reflect on other important events, positive and/or negative, during their presidency. The form of their responses varied but are available here as “their stories.” These reflections from living past presidents contribute a special perspective for understanding actions of leaders of the Society and changes in viewpoints over the years. (Click "Find out more" to access these reflections.)
This timeline has been prepared with assistance from Sally White, Chair of the Website Subcommittee for the Historical Records Committee.
Aug 1967 - Jul 1968
Early ESA Presidents
Presidents before 1968 are reviewed in a separate timeline.
View on timelineAug 1968 - Aug 1969
John Edward Cantlon
Ecology bridges humanity to sustainable environment
View on timelineAug 1969 - Aug 1970
Edward Smith Deevey Jr.
December 3, 1914 - November 29, 1988
View on timelineAug 1970 - Aug 1971
Frederick Herbert Bormann
Involving ESA in environmental policy and education
View on timelineAug 1971 - Aug 1972
Stanley Irving Auerbach
May 21, 1921 - May 1, 2004
View on timelineAug 1972 - Aug 1973
Robert Baxter Platt
January 19, 1913 - March 11, 1998
View on timelineAug 1973 - Aug 1974
Frederick Edward Smith
July 23, 1920 - April 14, 2012
View on timelineAug 1974 - Aug 1975
Richard Samuel Miller
July 24, 1922 - October 12, 1990
View on timelineAug 1975 - Aug 1976
Forest Walden Stearns
September 10, 1918 - September 8, 1999
View on timelineAug 1976 - Aug 1977
Frank Benjamin Golley
September 24, 1930 -October 8, 2006
View on timelineAug 1977 - Aug 1978
George Masters Woodwell
Ecologists Rise to Support Environment Laws
View on timelineAug 1978 - Aug 1979
William Dwight Billings
December 29, 1910 - January 4, 1997
View on timelineAug 1979 - Aug 1980
Robert Treat Paine
Initiated funding for MacArthur Award
View on timelineAug 1980 - Aug 1981
Arthur Wells Cooper
Call for action on Washington Public Affairs office
View on timelineAug 1981 - Aug 1982
Gene Elden Likens
Washington Public Affairs Office approved
View on timelineAug 1982 - Aug 1983
Lawrence Carroll Bliss
Washington Public Affairs Office placed in operation
View on timelineAug 1983 - Aug 1984
Francis Cope Evans
December 2, 1914 - August 16, 2002
View on timelineAug 1984 - Aug 1985
Paul Gillan Risser
Ecological literacy
View on timelineAug 1985 - Aug 1986
Richard Bruce Root
Unity in diversity of ecological knowledge
View on timelineAug 1986 - Aug 1987
Jean Harmon Langenheim
Recognition of women ecologists
View on timelineAug 1987 - Aug 1988
Margaret Bryan Davis
Established Education Section
View on timelineAug 1988 - Aug 1989
Harold A. Mooney
Initiated Sustainable Biosphere Initiative (SBI) process & publication of Ecological Applications approved
View on timelineAug 1989 - Aug 1990
Dennis Hal Knight
75th Anniversary endowment
View on timelineAug 1990 - Aug 1991
Simon Asher Levin
Fostered SBI and launched Ecological Applications
View on timelineAug 1991 - Aug 1992
H. Ronald Pulliam
Engaging ESA in public policy
View on timelineAug 1992 - Aug 1993
Jane Lubchenco
Sustainable Biosphere Initiative
View on timelineAug 1993 - Aug 1994
Jerry Forest Franklin
Planning and implementing change in ESA organizational structure
View on timelineAug 1994 - Aug 1995
Judy Lynn Meyer
Consolidating ESA offices in Washington DC and starting an ESA homepage
View on timelineAug 1995 - Aug 1996
Gordon Howell Orians
Operational improvements in Washington Executive Office
View on timelineAug 1996 - Aug 1997
James Hemphill Brown
Hiring Katherine McCarter
View on timelineAug 1997 - Aug 1998
James A. MacMahon
Getting us rebalanced for a financially safe future
View on timelineAug 1998 - Aug 1999
Katherine Lynn Gross
Continued transition: focus on publications
View on timelineAug 1999 - Aug 2000
Diana Harrison Wall
Positioning ESA as an Environmental Resource
View on timelineAug 2000 - Aug 2001
Stephen Russell Carpenter
Funding for publication initiatives
View on timelineAug 2001 - Aug 2002
Pamela Anne Matson
Developed Frontiers in Ecology & Environment & Visions Initiative
View on timelineAug 2002 - Aug 2003
Ann Marie Bartuska
Strengthening the role of non-academic ecologists in ESA
View on timelineAug 2003 - Aug 2004
William Harrison Schlesinger
Launching Annual fund for Millennium
View on timelineAug 2004 - Aug 2005
Jerry Michael Melillo
Championed engagement of ecologists in global change issues
View on timelineAug 2005 - Aug 2006
Nancy Beth Grimm
Promoting diversity in our science and our membership
View on timelineAug 2006 - Aug 2007
Alan Paul Covich
Expanding our regional, national and international outreach
View on timelineAug 2007 - Aug 2008
Norman LeRoy Christensen, Jr.
Regularizing ESA finances and budget
View on timelineAug 2008 - Aug 2009
Alison Gail Power
Long-range planning initiative
View on timelineAug 2009 - Aug 2010
Mary Eleanor Power
Launched Earth Stewardship Initiative
View on timelineAug 2010 - Aug 2011
F Stuart Chapin III
Advanced the Earth Stewardship Initiative
View on timelineAug 2011 - Aug 2012
Steward T.A. Pickett
Continuing Earth Stewardship: Next Generation Committee
View on timelineAug 2012 - Aug 2013
Scott Collins
Dealing with open access publishing
View on timelineAug 2013 - Aug 2014
Jill Baron
First Earth Stewardship Demonstration Project
View on timelineAug 2014 - Aug 2015
David Inouye
Moving ESA Journals to a New Publisher
View on timelineAug 2015 - Aug 2016
Monica Turner
Strengthening Membership, Adapting to Change
View on timelineAug 2016 - Aug 2017
David Lodge
View on timeline
