9th National John H. Chafee Memorial Lecture
on Science and the Environment
A Genomic View of Life
delivered by
J. Craig Venter
Founder and President,J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)
VIDEO
J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research. He is Founder and President of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit, research and support organization with more than 400 scientist and staff dedicated to human, microbial, plant and environmental genomic research, the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics, and seeking alternative energy solutions through genomics.
Dr. Venter began his formal education after a tour of duty as a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. After earning both a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California at San Diego, he was appointed professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In 1984, he moved to the National Institutes of Health campus where he developed Expressed Sequence Tags or ESTs, a revolutionary new strategy for rapid gene discovery. In 1992 Dr. Venter founded The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), a not-for-profit research institute, where in 1995 he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, using his new whole genome shotgun technique. Dr. Venter and his teams have now sequenced hundreds of genomes using his techniques and tools.
In 1998, Dr. Venter founded Celera Genomics to sequence the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. The successful completion of this research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal, Science. He and his team at Celera also sequenced the fruit fly, mouse and rat genomes. Dr. Venter and his team at the Venter Institute continue to blaze new trails in genomics research and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as the first complete diploid human genome, environmental genomics, and synthetic genomics.
Dr. Venter, one of the most frequently cited scientists, is the author of more than 200 research articles. He is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, and the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award. Dr. Venter is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology.
Previous Chafee Memorial Lecturers:
2000 – Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland, Nobel Laureates ( report - pdf)
2001 – E.O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize recipient ( report - pdf)
2003 – Rita Colwell, National Science Foundation Director ( report - pdf)
2004 – Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize recipient ( report - pdf)
2005 – William D. Ruckelshaus, First and Fifth EPA Administrator ( report - pdf)
2006 – Ralph J. Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences (report - pdf)
2007 – Larry Brilliant, Executive Director of Google.org and Founder of the Seva Foundation (report - pdf)
2008 – John P. Holdren, President and Director of Woods Hole Research Center and Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at Harvard University (report - pdf)
**To request a hard copy of these reports, please complete form and fax to 202-628-4311
JOHN HUBBARD CHAFEE (1922-1999)
Senator John H. Chafee (R-RI) born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1922. He continued on from there to become a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.
Upon the United States’ entry into World War II, Chafee left Yale to enlist in the Marine Corps, and then served in the original invasion forces at Guadalcanal. In 1951 he was recalled to active duty and commanded a rifle company in Korea.
John H. Chafee began his political career by serving for six years in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, during which time he was elected Minority Leader. Running for Governor in 1962, Chafee was elected by 398 votes. He then proceeded to be reelected in 1964 and 1966 -- both times by the largest margin in the State's history. In January 1969 he was appointed Secretary of the Navy and served in that post for three-and-a-half years. The beginning of John Chafee’s Senate career occurred in 1976.
As Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senator was a leading voice in crafting the Clean Air Act of 1990, which strengthened pollution emissions standards. He lead successful efforts to enact oil spill prevention and response legislation, and a bill to strengthen the Safe Drinking Water Act. Senator Chafee was a long-time advocate for wetlands conservation and open space preservation, and was the recipient of every major environmental award.
As senior member of the Finance Committee, Senator Chafee worked successfully to expand health care coverage for women and children, and to improve community services for persons with disabilities. In 1990, Senator Chafee spearheaded the Republican Health Care Task Force and became a prominent figure in the national health reform debate. He went on to lead the bipartisan effort to craft a comprehensive health care reform proposal in 1994.
Senator Chafee also was a leader in efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit and cochaired the centrist coalition which produced a bipartisan balanced budget plan in 1996. He was an active proponent of free trade and was a strong supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He served as Chairman of the Republican Conference for six years.
The Senator received awards and endorsements from such organizations as The National Federation of Independent Business, The American Nurses Association, The League of Conservation Voters, The Sierra Club, Handgun Control Inc., Planned Parenthood, Citizens Against Government Waste, and the National PTA.
On October 24, 1999, Senator John H. Chafee died from congestive heart failure. He leaves his wife Virginia, five children, and twelve grandchildren.
