Earl Dorchester Hanson
Encyclopedia
Earl Dorchester Hanson was born in India
. After serving in the United States Marine Corps
in World War II
, he graduated from Bowdoin College
and earned a Ph.D. in biology
in 1954 from Indiana University
.
In an academic career that spanned nearly 40 years, Professor Hanson was one of the first to advocate ethical training of young scientists. He also urged improved development of scientific teaching for nonscientists, with an emphasis on how genetic engineering
could affect society. Toward that end, he founded and was the chairman of the Science in Society program at Wesleyan University
.
From 1965 to 1967, he was chairman of the national Commission on Undergraduate Education in the Biological Sciences.
Mr. Hanson, a professor of biology, concentrated on intracellular genetics. He was the author in 1981 of the widely used textbook, "Understanding Evolution." He also was the author of "The Origin and Early Evolution of Animals" (1977) and of more than 50 research articles. Honored for Teaching
He was regarded as a popular and first-rate teacher, winning the Harbison Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1970.
Much of his activity in recent years involved educating nonscientists about contemporary problems and possibilities in biology and other fields.
He was on the Yale University
faculty from 1954 to 1960, when he joined the Wesleyan faculty. He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1991.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. After serving in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he graduated from Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
and earned a Ph.D. in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
in 1954 from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
In an academic career that spanned nearly 40 years, Professor Hanson was one of the first to advocate ethical training of young scientists. He also urged improved development of scientific teaching for nonscientists, with an emphasis on how genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
could affect society. Toward that end, he founded and was the chairman of the Science in Society program at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
.
From 1965 to 1967, he was chairman of the national Commission on Undergraduate Education in the Biological Sciences.
Mr. Hanson, a professor of biology, concentrated on intracellular genetics. He was the author in 1981 of the widely used textbook, "Understanding Evolution." He also was the author of "The Origin and Early Evolution of Animals" (1977) and of more than 50 research articles. Honored for Teaching
He was regarded as a popular and first-rate teacher, winning the Harbison Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1970.
Much of his activity in recent years involved educating nonscientists about contemporary problems and possibilities in biology and other fields.
He was on the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
faculty from 1954 to 1960, when he joined the Wesleyan faculty. He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
in 1991.