Richard Lenski
Encyclopedia
Richard E. Lenski is an American
evolutionary biologist. He is the son of sociologist Gerhard Lenski
. He earned his BA from Oberlin College
in 1976, and his PhD from the University of North Carolina
in 1982. He is a fellow
at the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
and holds the office Hannah
Distinguished Professor of microbial ecology
at Michigan State University
. In 1996, Lenski won a MacArthur Fellowship, and in 2006 he was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences
.
Lenski is best known for his long-term E. coli evolution experiment
and his work with digital organism
s, using Avida
. On February 17, 2010, he co-founded the NSF Science and Technology Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, known as the BEACON Center
.
Conservapedia
, entered into correspondence with Richard Lenski about the results of the E. coli long-term evolution experiment
which showed speciation of E. coli
bacteria over 10,000 generations. The correspondence was commented on across the internet.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
evolutionary biologist. He is the son of sociologist Gerhard Lenski
Gerhard Lenski
Gerhard Emmanuel Lenski is an American sociologist known for contributions to the sociology of religion, social inequality, and ecological-evolutionary social theory...
. He earned his BA from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in 1976, and his PhD from the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
in 1982. He is a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
at the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
and holds the office Hannah
John A. Hannah
John Alfred Hannah was president of Michigan State College for 28 years, making him the longest serving of MSU's presidents. He is credited with transforming the school from a little-known, regional agricultural college into a large national research institution...
Distinguished Professor of microbial ecology
Microbial ecology
Microbial ecology is the ecology of microorganisms: their relationship with one another and with their environment. It concerns the three major domains of life — Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria — as well as viruses....
at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. In 1996, Lenski won a MacArthur Fellowship, and in 2006 he was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
Lenski is best known for his long-term E. coli evolution experiment
E. coli long-term evolution experiment
The E. coli long-term evolution experiment is an ongoing study in experimental evolution led by Richard Lenski that has been tracking genetic changes in 12 initially identical populations of asexual Escherichia coli bacteria since 24 February 1988...
and his work with digital organism
Digital organism
A digital organism is a self-replicating computer program that mutates and evolves. Digital organisms are used as a tool to study the dynamics of Darwinian evolution, and to test or verify specific hypotheses or mathematical models of evolution...
s, using Avida
Avida
Avida is an artificial life software platform to study the evolutionary biology of self-replicating and evolving computer programs . Avida is under active development by Charles Ofria's Digital Evolution Lab at Michigan State University and was originally designed by Ofria, Chris Adami and C. Titus...
. On February 17, 2010, he co-founded the NSF Science and Technology Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, known as the BEACON Center
BEACON Center
The BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action is a Science and Technology Center in the United States, focused on experimental and applied research on evolutionary dynamics, sponsored by the National Science Foundation...
.
Dialogue with Andy Schlafly
Andy Schlafly, the founder and owner of wikiWiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
Conservapedia
Conservapedia
Conservapedia is an English-language wiki project written from a self-described American conservative Christian point of view. The website considers itself to be a supporter of "conservative, family-friendly" content...
, entered into correspondence with Richard Lenski about the results of the E. coli long-term evolution experiment
E. coli long-term evolution experiment
The E. coli long-term evolution experiment is an ongoing study in experimental evolution led by Richard Lenski that has been tracking genetic changes in 12 initially identical populations of asexual Escherichia coli bacteria since 24 February 1988...
which showed speciation of E. coli
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
bacteria over 10,000 generations. The correspondence was commented on across the internet.