Thomas Eisner papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 21-45-3785

Scope and content

Vita, profiles, and other biographical materials; photographs alone and with others; reprints of writings, 1952-2008; writings, published and unpublished, on environmental issues including Lignum Vitae Key, Big Thicket National Park, the Congressional Fellow Program, the Endangered Species Act, and chemical prospecting, as well as world population, nuclear weapons/disarmament, and human rights. Bound volume of reprints on ultraviolet absorbtion, reflection and viewing and bound volume of reprints on the bombardier beetle. Also, typescript diary entries from 1987.

Scope and content

Movie films on the African bomardier beetles, the Ozaenine and Metrius bombardier beetles, and others; and DVDs of lectures and programs including "The Natural World: Beetlemania," 1996, "Nature of Things/Bug Man of Ithaca," 1980, Discovery Channel interview, "Garden of Eden," 1986, "Nature Watch," "Secret Weapons," 1983, Seven Wonders of the World," 1997, "Talking Books, February 6, 2004, CBS Radio One - For Love of Insects," 2004, "ABS MTG. 1990 Eisner & Meinwald, Binghamton, NY," 1990, "Remarks for the Grand Prix de la Fondation de la Maison de la Chimie," 2006, and "Thomas Eisner - Jerrold Meinwald, 1990 Tyler Prize Awards Banquet," 1990.

Scope and content

Also slides of bombadier beetles and slides of UV images of butterflies and flowers.

Scope and content

Medals(12 items) received by Eisner, including the National Medal of Science and a photograph of Eisner receiving the medal from President Bill Clinton.

Scope and content

Memoir of Tom Eisner by Maria Lobell, read at his memorial service.

Dates

1952-2011.

Creator

Eisner, Thomas, 1929-2011. (Person)
Meinwald, Jerrold, 1927-2018. (Person)

Language of Material

In English.

Biographical / Historical

Thomas Eisner is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Chemical Ecology at Cornell University. He is a world authority on animal behavior, ecology, and evolution, and is co-founder of chemical ecology, the discipline dealing with the chemical interactions of organisms. A field biologist with working experience on four continents, he is an active conservationist. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society, the Scientific Council of The Nature Conservancy, and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Union of Concerned Scientists. A member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the Royal Society, he is the recipient of numerous honors including the National Medal of Science and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. He is a well-known nature photographer, and has helped make award-winning film documentaries.