Hans Herren

Job Title: 
President
Organization: 
Millennium Institute
Conversation: 
Energy & Climate: It's All About The Systems

Hans Herren, an internationally recognized scientist, was appointed
MI's president in May 2005. Prior to joining MI, he was
director-general of the International Center for Insect Physiology and
Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, Kenya. He also served as director of the
Africa Biological Control Center of International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA), in Benin.

At ICIPE, Hans
developed and implemented programs in the area of human, animal, plant
and environmental health (the 4-H paradigm) as they relate to insect
issues. At IITA, he conceived and implemented the highly successful
biological control program that saved the African cassava crop, and
averted Africa’s worst-ever food crisis.

Over the
years, Hans has moved his interests toward integrated sustainable
development, in particular, linking environmental, plant, animal, and
human health issues.

As MI's president, Hans'
priorities are to internationalize the Institute, and develop its
public sector component with new core and project funding. This funding
will enable developing countries to implement MI’s Threshold 21 (T21)
integrated planning model. He envisions regional MI training centers
that promote the institutionalization of T21 at sub-national, country,
and regional levels. At the global level, Hans will promote the use of
T21 for assessments such as Global Environment Outlook, Africa
Environment Outlook and International Assessment of Agricultural
Knowledge, Science and Technology. MI's private sector activities, such
as the partnership with General Motors, will continue and be expanded.
New models will be developed for use in settings such as primary and
secondary educational institutions to teach environmental and societal
issues.

Hans earned his Ph.D. at the Federal
Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, and holds numerous
awards that recognize his distinguished and continuing achievements in
original research. These include:

  • Election to the U.S National Academy of Sciences in 1999
  • Election
    to the Academy of Sciences of the Developing World (TWAS) in 2005, for
    his contribution to the development and support of sciences in Africa
  • Recipient
    of the 1995 World Food Prize, the highest award given to an individual
    for advancing human development by improving the quality, quantity, or
    availability of food in the world
  • Recipient of
    the 1995 Kilby Award, given to individuals who have made significant
    contributions to society through science, technology, innovation,
    invention, and education
  • Recipient of the 2002
    Brandenberger Preis, for improving the living standards of Africa's
    rural population through the development of agricultural projection
    methods that is in harmony with the environment
  • Recipient
    of the 2003 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, awarded to
    individuals whose contributions to environmental science, energy and
    medicine confer great benefit upon mankind
  • Recipient
    of the 1991 Sir and Lady Rank Prize for Nutrition, awarded by the
    former Prime Minister of Britian, Lady Margaret Thatcher

Hans
serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including co-chairing
the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science &
Technology, (IAASTD); chairman of BioVision, a Swiss foundation with a
global mandate to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of poor
people while maintaining the precious natural resource base that
sustains life; president of the International Association of the Plant
Protection Sciences (IAPPS); and member, US Board of Agriculture and
Natural Resources (BANR).