CURRICULUM VITAE August 24, 2016
Estella B. Leopold
Professor Emeritus of Biology
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington 98195
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Late Cenozoic paleobotany, pollen and seed analysis, paleoecology, paleoclimate
History of Pacific NW forest associations and western grasslands
Climate and vegetation patterns since glaciation, Pacific NW
Ecosystem management and restoration ecology
EDUCATION
1944-48 Ph.B. University of Wisconsin at Madison, Botany
1948-50 M.S. University of California at Berkeley, Botany
1953-55 Ph.D. Yale University, Botany
EMPLOYMENT
1951 Assistant Research Hydrologist, Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona
1952 Research Assistant, Smith College, Genetics Experiment Station
1952 Mycologist, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin
1952-53 Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant Science, Yale University
1954 Teaching Assistant, Department of Zoology, Yale University
1955-76 Paleobotanist, Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado, Research Botanist
1967-76 Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, University of Colorado
1971-72 Visiting Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison Department of Botany and Institute for Environmental Studies
1976-82 Director, Quaternary Research Center, Professor of Botany and Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle
1982-89 Professor, Department of Botany and College of Forest Resources, University of Washington
1989-95 Professor, Botany and Environmental Studies, University of Washington
1995-99 Professor of Botany, University of Washington
2000-present Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, University of Washington
HONORS, AWARDS
Recipient, Jr. Sterling Scholarship, 1953-54, Yale University
Recipient, Sheffield Scientific School Scholarship, 1954-55, Yale University
Co-recipient, Conservationist-of-the-Year Award, with Bettie Willard, 1969, Colorado Wildlife Federation
National Academy of Sciences, elected 1974
Keep Colorado Beautiful; annual award, 1976
Fellow, Geological Society of America, 1984
Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science, 1980, 1986
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, elected 1992
Wilbur Cross Medal, Yale University, 1993
Zucker Fellow, for outstanding contributions in Paleobotany, Yale University, 1993
American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA, elected 2000
International Cosmos Prize, Kyoto University award October 11, 2010; Expo 90, Japan
Grace Hopper Achievement Award, 2012; Seattle Girls School. Seattle
Paleontological Society Medal, 2013; Denver, Colo. Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America.
American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists; Medal for Scientific excellence; San Francisco, October, 2013.
GRANTS
Recipient, National Science Foundation Travel Grant: 1957 to Spain; 1961 to Poland; 1976 to England; 1982 to USSR; 1988 to Ottawa Canada.
1968-69 National Science Foundation Grant No. GB-7890: To support graduate student Richard G. Baker, Department of Biology, University of Colorado. $7800
1978 Graduate School Research Fund. $6000
1979 Graduate School Research Fund. $6000
1979-81 National Science Foundation Grant DEB79-12241A01: Vegetation History and Tephra Chronology of the Puget Lowland. $124,000
1981 Contract: Golder Associates, Palynology of Miocene Sediments at the Hanford Reservation, Washington. $8500
1982-83 National Science Foundation Grant DEB 81-10470: Pollen Analysis in the Southern Puget Lowland. $8000
1982-83 National Science Foundation Grant DEB 81-07491: Macrofossil studies on Mount Rainier. $6771
1982-83 Graduate School Research Fund: History of Prairie in the Southern Puget Lowland. $4000
1985 Mountaineer Foundation: Forest History of Tiger Mt., King Co., Wash. $1500
1986-87 Greenspring Ltd., Denver, Colo. Paleoecological Research in King Co., WA. $5,000
1986 Heart of America Foundation, Seattle: IES, Environments past and present at Hanford, WA. $2000
1987 Washington Dept. of Nat. Res., Forest History in Relation to Historical Surface Fires in the Tiger Mt. Area, King Co., WA. $3,000
1990 EPA, Recycling Education on campus, University of Washington, 2 years, $30,000
1991-92 NSF, A long-term cooling near the Arctic Circle in Alaska, 18 months, $50,000
1991-92 U.S. Geological Survey contract for seed analysis and paleo earthquake research in estuaries of King Co., Wash. $12,000 in 1991; $17,000 in 1992.
1993 U.S. Geological Survey contract for seed analysis and paleo earthquake research in estuaries of King Co., Wash. $23,000
1996-98 National Geographic Society (with Gengwu Liu). The Pliocene Gaus Interval in NE China – Latitudinal Temperature Gradients. $32,400 for two years.
1997-98 U.S. Geological Survey contract; Paleoecology and History of Estuary Marshes, Puget Sound (Work on the Seattle fault). $14,000 for two years.
1998-99 J. David Love, Laramie, WY. Pollen Stratigraphy and Ecology of the Miocene Teewinot Lake Beds, Jackson Hole, WY. $13,000
2010 International Cosmos Prize award fund, $450,000
MEMBERSHIPS
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1983-
Pacific Division: Committee on Climate, 1983 to 1984; Executive Committee, 1985-89; President Elect, 1993; President, 1994-95; Past President Executive Committee Member 1996-97
American Quaternary Association, 1982-88
Council Member, 1970-74; Program Committee, 1974; President-Elect, 1980-82; President, 1982-84
Botanical Society of America
Palynology Committee on proposals for Amending International Rules Botanical Nomenclature, 1958; U.S.G.S. Delegate to Nomenclature Section, International Botanical Congress, Montreal, 1959
Ecological Society of America 1954-80; Leopold Leadership Fellows Program, Advisory Council 1998-
Geological Society of America 1976-; Fellow 1984
The Paleontological Association, London 1959-64
National Academy of Sciences 1974-
Environmental Quality Award Committee, member 1976; Chairman 1977-79; Executive Committee for Assembly of Life Sciences, 1974-77; Environmental Studies Board, member 1977-80; Ad Hoc Committee on Geology and Climate, 1977; Climate Research Board, 1983; Committee on Global Change, 1991-92; Board on Global Change, 1992-94; Committee on Human Dimensions of Global Change, 1992-95
Sigma Xi 1950-
President, Washington Chapter 1994-95
International Union for Quaternary Research, U.S. National Committee
Member, 1976-78; Vice Chairman, 1978-82; U.S. Delegate to INQUA Congress, Birmingham, 1977; Moscow, 1983; Chairman, 1982-87; Chief delegate to INQUA Congress, Ottawa, 1987
National Science Foundation, Earth System History, Scientific Steering Committee, 1994-97
National Endowment for the Humanities, Panel member, 1994
Environmental Review (journal), Board 1998-2003
Farming and the Environment, Board Chair, 2009- present
TRAINING COURSES
4 semesters of Russian, Government courses, ca 1964-65
1 semester of Greek, St. Dimitrios, Seattle, 1980
EDITING
Associate Editor, Quaternary Research, 1980-83
Editorial Board, Quaternary Research, 1976- ~1985
Editorial Board, Quaternary International, 1990-2000
SERVICE
Colorado Open Space Council, co-founder and Board, 1965-73
Denver Audubon Society, Conservation Chairman, 1970-73
Environmental Defense Fund, National Board, 1975-77
Governor's Oil Shale Committee on Environmental Protection, (Colorado), 1971-72
The Institute of Ecology, Chair of Founders; University of Wisconsin, 1972-82
McIntyre Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Advisory Committee, 1974-82
Rocky Mountain Center on Environment, Board, Denver, 1971-73
National Audubon Board, 1979-83
The Nature Conservancy, National Board, 1970-72; Washington Board, 1982-84
Governor's Advisory Council, High-Level Nuclear Waste Management (Washington), 1982-87
SCIENCE Magazine, Newcomb Cleveland Prize Selection Committee, 1977-78
Mount. St. Helens Science Advisory Board, U.S. Forest Service, 1986-89
Friends of the Earth Foundation, Board, 1987-89
Seattle Chapter, Audubon Society; Science Advisor and Board Member, 1996-99
Aldo Leopold Foundation, President 1996-98; Chairman of the Board, 1998-2003; President, 2004- ~2008
TEACHING: University of Washington
BOTANY AND FORESTRY
Bot 501 Pollen Morphology (3 credits), Spring 1981
For B 520 Problems in Cenozoic Plant Ecology (3 credits), Winter 1978-81
Bot 443 Origins of our Modern Floras (4 credits), Winter 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002
For B 590 Paleoecology Seminar (1 credit), Fall 1982; Winter 1983
Bot 439 Forest History (4 credits), Spring 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 (cross-listed with Forest Resources)
Bot 453 Concepts and Methods in Paleoecology (4 credits), Fall 1984, 1986 (cross-listed with Forest Resources and QRC); organizer of course taught with L. Brubaker and M. Tsukada.
Envs 206 Laboratory in Environmental Problems (5 credits), Spring 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998
Envs 498 Seminar; "Wetlands, No Net Loss?" (1 credit)
Bot 526/599 Topics in Botany Seminar Winter 1993 (5 credits), Winter 1994 (3 credits)
Bot 333 Plant Communities – Restoration and Resilience (5 credits), Fall 1996-99
BIOLOGY PROGRAM
Bio 102 General Biology, 1/2 Winter 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND QUATERNARY RESEARCH CENTER
Quat 417 Late Cenozoic Glacial Ages (3 credits), with Stephen Porter, Fall 1977-82; Spring 1987
Quat 501 Quaternary Environments Seminar (1 credit), Winter and Spring 1977-82
HONORS PROGRAM, ARTS AND SCIENCES
HA & S 202 Science: Its Nature and Role in Society (3 credits)
HA & S 203 Winter and Spring 1977-78, team taught with 4 others
Spectrum History of the Pacific Northwest since the Ice Age, Autumn 1980
Spectrum History of Pacific Northwest Environments, Summer 1979, Acted as organizer for seminar series
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Northern Cascades Institute, Sedro-Woolley
Seminar, field trips for graduate students
September 11-12, 2004 “Reading the Land”, Shaw Island, WA
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Committee Chair:
University of Colorado, Boulder
Richard Baker Ph.D. 1969 Geology (now Prof. of Geology, Univ. Iowa)
University of Washington
Cathy Barnosky M.S. 1980 Geological Sciences (now Prof., Montana State Univ.)
Deborah Newman M.S. 1982 Forest Resources (now Research Assoc., Brigham Young Univ.)
Jeannie Barnett M.S. 1982 Geological Sciences (now Research geologist, Chevron Oil Co.)
Peter Dunwiddie Ph.D. 1982 Botany (now consulting Plant Ecologist, Seattle)
Cathy Whitlock Ph.D. 1983 Geological Sciences (now Prof., Montana State University; fka Barnosky)
Robyn Burnham Ph.D. 1987 Botany (co-chair) (now faculty, Univ. of Michigan)
Susan Calder M.S. 1990 Geology (now employed Washington Division Geology)
Sheila Turner M.S. 1990 Fisheries
Sally Abella M.S. 1992 Botany (now City of Seattle Staff)
Devra Jarvis Ph.D. 1993 Botany (now United Nations Staff, Rome)
Daniel Ekbaw M.S. 1994 Botany (now Prof., Univ. Chile)
Craig Henry Ph.D. Botany Candidate (on leave, now at Microsoft, Seattle)
Brian Sherrod Ph.D. 1998 Geological Sciences
Danika Gilbert M.S. 1998
Marietta Sharp M.S. 2000 Botany (now at DNR)
Paul Kester Ph.D. Geological Sciences candidate
Cindy Updegrave M.S. 2005 Biology teachers program (Now adjunct faculty, UW)
Committee member
Robert Thorson Ph.D. 1979 Geological Sciences (Now Prof., Univ. Conn.)
Virginia Adams Ph.D. 1980 Interdisciplinary Studies
Daniel Mann Ph.D. 1981 Forest Resources
Anthony Barnosky Ph.D. 1982 Geological Sciences (Now Prof., UC Berkeley)
Louise Jackson Ph.D. 1982 Botany
Robert Nelson Ph.D. 1982 Interdisciplinary Studies
Lisa Graumlich Ph.D. 1984 Forest Resources (Now Dean, UW)
Rudy Nickmann M.S. 1978 Geology, Central Wash. Univ. (research advisor)
Lee Porter M.S. 1979 Geological Sciences
Elizabeth Taylor M.S. 1979 Botany
Cynthia Burdick M.S. 1981 Forest Resources
Janet Kearsley M.S. 1987 Forest Resources
Janet Ebaugh M.S. 1989 Botany
Sheenya Sugita Ph.D. 1990 Botany (now Prof., Univ. Minnesota)
Andrew Gray M.S. 1990 Forest Resources (now USFS)
Allen Yen M.S. 1993 Botany
Les Kniffen M.S. Forest Resources (pending)
Terry Swanson Ph.D. 1993 Geological Sciences (now Prof. Earth Sciences, UW)
Chris Earle Ph.D. 1993 Forest Resources
Susan Calder Ph.D. 1994 Geological Sciences
Lisa Carlson Ph.D. Candidate, Forest Resources
Deanne Drake Ph.D. 1998 Fisheries
Alan Yen Ph.D. 1999 Botany
Ed Doran Ph.D. Botany, in progress
Richey Harrod Ph.D. 2004 Forestry
Caroline Pew PhD Earth and Space Sciences
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES
1981- Academic Program Committee
1976-81 John Danz Lectureship Committee
1983-85 Honors Council
1982-83 Nutrition Termination Review
1990 Recycling Committee
1990-92 Facilities Council of Senate
Search Committees
1977 Chairmanship of Oceanography
1978 Chairmanship of Electrical Engineering
1980 Deanship of Engineering
1991 Directorship, Institute of Environmental Studies
1997 Certificate Program Environmental Manager; Advisory Board 1995-99
PROMOTION & TENURE COMMITTEES
Chair Dee Boersma
Member Jeff Richey
Chair Joseph Ammirati
Member Thomas Mitchell-Olds
Chair Liz Van Volkenberg; member 1999
Member Luca Comai
Member Hanna Skubatz (Res. Prof.)
INVITED PAPERS: since 1980smaller print requested
California Academy of Science, 1980, Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker, Vegetation development in the late Tertiary of Idaho.
Western Washington University, May, 1981, Sigma Xi speaker; History of the Lake Washington Basin.
University of British Columbia, Department of Botany seminar, Oct. 1982; Postglacial History of Douglas Fir in relation to fire in the Puget Lowland.
American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, annual meeting, San Francisco, Oct. 1983; Symposium Co-Organizer, Palynology of Tertiary Floras of Western North America; Speaker: Pollen identifications from the Eocene Chalk Bluffs Flora, California.
6th International Palynological Conference, Calgary, Aug. 27, 1984, Symposium Organizer: Paleogeography and Provincialism in Post-Eocene Floras and Marine Assemblages. Speaker: Comparative Age of Steppe and Grassland East and West of the Rocky Mountains, USA.
Universite de Luminy, Laboratoire de Geologie du Quaternaire, Marseille, France,: Late Tertiary forests of the Rocky Mountain region. 1984
Yale University, School of Forestry, April, 1985; Departmental Seminar Reconstruction of virgin forest types in King Co., WA, using archival data.
AAAS Pacific Division, Symposium on Origin of the northern Rocky Mts. Flora, June, 1985, Miocene-Pliocene vegetation development in the northern Rocky Mountains (with Melinda Denton).
AAAS Pacific Division, Symposium Co-organizer and Speaker. June 1986, Vancouver, B.C.; Disposal of High level Nuclear Waste -- the Hanford Site.
Iowa State Univ., Dept. of Botany. Invited lecture. Historical role of fire in Douglas Fir forest, King Co., WA. October 1986.
XII International Congress, International Union of Quaternary Research. Symposium Co-organizer: Long term restructuring in Late Cenozoic terrestrial ecosystems, Ottawa, Canada, July, 1987.
University of Wisconsin, Center for Climatic Research. Invited Symposium lecture. Cultural change and ecosystem productivity: climatic ties. May, 1987.
Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA. Summer Institute lecture: Plant succession and Chaos Theory. July 1988.
American Society for Environmental History & Northwest Association for Environmental Studies. Olympia, WA. April 27-30, 1989. Symposium Organizer "Puget Sound Lowland Forest Vegetation: Past and Present".
Using Timber Tax Assessment Data to Reconstruct Early Settlement Forest Conditions, King Co., WA 1906-1908.
Holocene Prairie History in SW Washington State, by Leopold, E., S. Langdon, and D. Newman.
Quaternary Research Center Symposium: "Quaternary Vegetation and Climate of the Pacific Northwest (in honor of Henry Hansen). May 4-5, 1989. University of Wash. "Late Tertiary Vegetation Trends in the Columbia Basin".
The Land Institute, Salinas Kansas. speaker. 1999. Leopold’s Vision in Applied Ecology.
Quaternary Research Center Symposium,. Seeds and microfossils as recorders of water level change. 7th Dec. 1999. Univ. Wash. Campus.
How well do pollen corroborate Eocene leaf taxa? Abstract, American Journal Of Botany
Land/Water Stewardship Conference, King Co., Kent, WA. April 1990. Keynote address.