Joel E. Cohen
Encyclopedia
Joel E. Cohen is a mathematical biologist. He is currently Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of Populations at the Rockefeller University
in New York City
and at the Earth Institute of Columbia University
, where he holds a joint appointment in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, and the School of International and Public Affairs.
Cohen grew up in Washington DC and Michigan and graduated from Cranbrook School
in 1961. He received his B.A. in applied mathematics from Harvard University
in 1965, and earned a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard in 1970. In 1973, he received from Harvard another doctorate in population sciences and tropical public health. He received an honorary Master's degree from the University of Cambridge UK in 1974.
He has since taught or lectured at Harvard University
, Yale University
, Stanford University
, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the College of Notre Dame of Maryland
, the National University of San Luis
, Argentina
, the Central University of Venezuela
, and the University of California at Berkeley. He has also held numerous fellowships, including ones with the Harvard Society of Fellows
, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
He was named "One of America's Top 100 Young Scientists" by Science Digest
in 1984. His research has won him numerous awards, including the Sheps Award from the Population Association of America in 1992, the Distinguished Statistical Ecologist Award in 1994, the first Olivia Schieffelin Nordberg Award "for excellence in writing in the population sciences" in 1997, the Fred L. Soper Prize in 1998 of the Pan American Health Organization for his collaborative work on Chagas' disease, and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
in 1999. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences
, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
and the American Philosophical Society
and has served on the governing boards of all three organizations.
He served as a Special Master and member of the Selection Panel in the silicone gel breast implant products liability litigation before the United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama (Southern Division) in 1996; and as a U.S. Federal Court-appointed neutral expert (under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 706) for projection of asbestos-related claims against the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust, in the combined asbestos litigation in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1991-1995. He was a consultant to the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy, New York, on the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases from 1982 to 1986.
Cohen was a member of the Board of Directors of The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, 2000-2009, during which he co-chaired the Science Council, 2005-2009. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Nature Conservancy, 2001-2010, the Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC, 2004-2010, and the Committee on Science, Technology and Law of the National Research Council, Washington, DC, 2000-2009.
His son is Adam Cohen
, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and of Physics at Harvard University.
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and at the Earth Institute of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he holds a joint appointment in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, and the School of International and Public Affairs.
Cohen grew up in Washington DC and Michigan and graduated from Cranbrook School
Cranbrook Schools
Cranbrook Schools is a private, PK–12 school located on a campus in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The schools comprise a co-educational elementary school, a middle school with separate schools for boys and girls, and a co-educational high school with boarding facilities...
in 1961. He received his B.A. in applied mathematics from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1965, and earned a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard in 1970. In 1973, he received from Harvard another doctorate in population sciences and tropical public health. He received an honorary Master's degree from the University of Cambridge UK in 1974.
He has since taught or lectured at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the College of Notre Dame of Maryland
College of Notre Dame of Maryland
Notre Dame of Maryland University is an independent, Catholic-affiliated, liberal arts college located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, that primarily serves female students.-History:...
, the National University of San Luis
National University of San Luis
The National University of San Luis is a public university in Argentina, with its seat in the city of San Luis, capital of the province of the same name, in the Cuyo region...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, the Central University of Venezuela
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
, and the University of California at Berkeley. He has also held numerous fellowships, including ones with the Harvard Society of Fellows
Harvard Society of Fellows
The Harvard Society of Fellows is a group of scholars selected at the beginning of their careers by Harvard University for extraordinary scholarly potential, upon whom distinctive academic and intellectual opportunities are bestowed in order to foster their individual growth and intellectual...
, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
He was named "One of America's Top 100 Young Scientists" by Science Digest
Science Digest
Science Digest was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1986. It initially had an 8 x 5 inch format with about 100 pages, and was targeted at persons with a high school education level...
in 1984. His research has won him numerous awards, including the Sheps Award from the Population Association of America in 1992, the Distinguished Statistical Ecologist Award in 1994, the first Olivia Schieffelin Nordberg Award "for excellence in writing in the population sciences" in 1997, the Fred L. Soper Prize in 1998 of the Pan American Health Organization for his collaborative work on Chagas' disease, and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is an award for environmental science, environmental health and energy. Tyler Laureates receive a $200,000 annual prize and a gold medallion...
in 1999. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
and the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
and has served on the governing boards of all three organizations.
He served as a Special Master and member of the Selection Panel in the silicone gel breast implant products liability litigation before the United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama (Southern Division) in 1996; and as a U.S. Federal Court-appointed neutral expert (under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 706) for projection of asbestos-related claims against the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust, in the combined asbestos litigation in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1991-1995. He was a consultant to the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy, New York, on the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases from 1982 to 1986.
Cohen was a member of the Board of Directors of The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, 2000-2009, during which he co-chaired the Science Council, 2005-2009. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Nature Conservancy, 2001-2010, the Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC, 2004-2010, and the Committee on Science, Technology and Law of the National Research Council, Washington, DC, 2000-2009.
His son is Adam Cohen
Adam Cohen (scientist)
Adam Ezra Cohen is Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemistry Biology and of Physics at Harvard University.He has received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and been selected by MIT Technology Review to the TR35 list of the world's top innovators under...
, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and of Physics at Harvard University.
Works
Cohen is the author or editor of 14 books and 370 articles, including:- How Many People Can the Earth Support? (1995) Description & chapter previews.
- Comparison of Stochastic Matrices, with Applications in Information Theory, Statistics, Economics and Population Sciences (1998)
- Forecasting Product Liability Claims: Epidemiology and Modeling in the Manville Asbestos Case (2004)
- Educating All Children: A Global Agenda (2006)
- International Perspectives on the Goals of Universal Basic and Secondary Education (2009)