Gilbert F. White

Gilbert F. White (deceased) "was the Gustavson Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Colorado from 1980 until his death in 2006. Prior to that, from 1970 to 1978, he was Professor of Geography and the Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science at the university. He was also the founder and Director of the university's Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center (now called simply the "Natural Hazards Center") from 1976 to 1984 and again from 1992 to 1994...

"Gilbert subsequently served from 1934 to 1940 in the New Deal administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the secretary to the Mississippi Valley Committee, National Resources Committee, and National Resources Planning Board. From 1940 to 1942 he worked in the Bureau of the Budget, Executive Office of the President.

"In 1942 as a conscientious objector to military service, Gilbert joined the American Friends Service Committee, aiding refugees in France. He was interned in Baden-Baden, Germany until 1944 when he was allowed to return to the U.S. He continued working with the AFSC until 1946...

"A devout Quaker, Gilbert helped establish and chaired various Quaker Conferences for Diplomats from 1952 to 1997. He was Chair of the American Friends Service Committee, 1963-1969.

"In the early 1970s, Gilbert was one of the principal investigators in a major National Science Foundation-funded assessment of the status of natural hazards research in the United States. Subsequently, he established the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center at the University of Colorado...

"Among many other responsibilities Gilbert served as President of the Association of American Geographers, 1961-1962; Chair, Bureau of the Budget Task Force on Federal Flood Policy, 1965-1966; Chair, Committee on Water, National Research Council, 1964-1968; Chair, Commission on Man and Environment, International Geographical Union, 1969-1976; Member, Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment, International Council of Scientific Unions, 1970- (President, 1976-1982); Chair, Environmental Studies Board, National Research Council, 1975-1977; Chair, Commission on Natural Resources, National Research Council, 1977-1980; Trustee, Resources for the Future, 1967-79 (Chair, 1974-1979); Member, Board on Natural Disasters, National Research Council, 1994-1997; Chair, Advisory Panel on Reducing Earthquake Losses, Office of Technology Assessment, 1994; and Chair, Committee on Sustainable Water Supplies for the Middle East, National Research Council, 1996-1999...

"Gilbert White was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 2000, he was presented the National Medal of Science by President William Clinton." CV


 * Cosmos Club Award Recipients (1993)
 * Winner of the 1995 Volvo Environment Prize