Legendary Biologist Dies

Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard’s famed evolutionary biologist whose prolific writings brought science to the masses and whose ground-breaking theories and outspoken style stirred controversy in his field, died yesterday morning at his home in New York, 20 years after first being diagnosed with cancer. He was 60.

Gould, who was Agassiz professor of zoology and professor of geology, developed an evolutionary theory known as “punctuated equilibrium” that suggests the process of evolution—traditionally conceived as slow and steady—is actually broken up by short periods of relatively rapid change.

Since becoming a Harvard professor in 1967, he wrote more than 100 essays and dozens of books on subjects relating to natural history, many of which aimed to introduce his field to a broader public.

From 1974 to 2001, he published 300 consecutive monthly columns in Natural History magazine without missing a month. The essays were collected into 10 volumes, the last of which was published earlier this month.

Last month, Gould published The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, a 1,433-page work which took 20 years to write.

In 1982, Gould underwent successful treatment for cancer that doctors had said was terminal. He recounted the experience in his renowned essay “The Median Isn’t the Message,” where he wrote of learning that, statistically speaking, he had a matter of months to live but decided to defy the odds.

Gould announced to his Science B-16, “History of Life” class on April 9 that he had been diagnosed with new tumors and was preparing for surgery later that week. But he remained confident that he would complete the class.

Gould insisted on making up the lectures he missed this semester for surgery and treatment during reading period.

“You’re looking at the first person who’s ever been cured of an abdominal mesothelioma, so far as we know,” he told the class. “I’m going to tell keep telling everyone, ‘I’ve got 20 more years’ work to do, so they’ve got to keep me going.’”

“That’s a minimum,” Gould added. “I mean, I’d take 30 if anybody would give it to me. But I need 20.”

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles wrote in an e-mail that “the world is a sadly duller and less informed place” without Gould.

University President Lawrence H. Summers said in a statement yesterday that he was “deeply saddened” by Gould’s death.

“The Harvard community and the world of science have lost a brilliant scholar whose research helped redefine our notion of who we are and where we came from. He was also a gifted teacher who brought important scientific ideas vividly to life for his students and for the wider public,” Summers said. “We will miss him greatly, and we will continue to learn from his work for generations to come.”

Other colleagues of Gould said he was always able to interest people in science.

“He was one of those rare people who combined a fantastic career in science with a wonderful ability to communicate that science to the general public,” said Jeremy Bloxham, chair of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, where Gould held his appointment.

In addition to heading History of Life, Gould co-taught Religion 1045, “Thinking About Thinking,” with Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz and Thomas Professor of Divinity Harvey G. Cox Jr. He also co-taught Biology 208, a seminar in “Issues in Paleobiology,” with Fisher Professor of Natural History Andrew Knoll and Professor of Biology and Geology Charles R. Marshall.

History of Life teaching fellow John Mathew informed the students in his section of Gould’s death in an e-mail.

“For everything that may be said about him, good or ill, he was a man of deep convictions, immeasurable breadth of perspective, and profound insight,” Mathew wrote.

Rebecca Brogan ’02, a student in Gould’s History of Life class this semester, said she was grateful for the opportunity to have Gould as her professor.

“You didn’t have to be a scientist to appreciate his lectures and writings. Gould’s wit, humor and clarity brought his topics to life for anyone,” Brogan said. “He was a man with an inordinate amount of passion, who, especially during this difficult semester for him, exemplified the true spirit of a teacher.”

Sarah J. Hines ’02, another student in the class, said that she was impressed by Gould’s dedication to his teaching duties.

“I will remember him as an extreme perseverer in the face of what was a debilitating illness,” Hines said. “The students in his class watched him get less energetic in body but stay very energetic in his lectures and teaching.”

According to Director of the Core Program Susan W. Lewis, the final exam for History of Life will take place tomorrow, as planned.

Legendary Career

After growing up in New York City, Gould earned a degree in geology from Antioch College in 1963 and a Ph.D. in paleontology from Columbia University in 1967.

In 1975, Gould won the Paleontological Society’s Charles Schuchert Award for excellence in his field under the age of 40.

But Gould’s success did not come without criticism that he let popular work overshadow his scholarly contributions. In an April 26 review of Structure of Evolutionary Theory in Science, SUNY-Stonybrook Professor Douglas J. Futuyma described Gould “as an object of professional controversy” and wrote, “It has been 25 years since his first and, until now, only book directed at his peers.”

Though Futuyma wrote he agreed with many of the book’s themes, he added that the work “omits vast fields and perspectives in evolutionary biology and advocates positions that few will embrace in toto.”

Gould led arguments against scientific claims that IQ varies between races for genetic reasons. His 1982 book The Mismeasure of Man, which tried to debunk claims that IQ and race were linked, won the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Gould has served as president of the Paleontological Society, president of the American Association for Advancement of the Sciences and curator of Invertebrate Paleontology in Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.

He was also an adjunct member of the Department of the History of Science. Since 1996, he has also served as Astor visiting research professor of biology at New York University.

And Gould’s colleagues remember him as someone whose interests extended beyond his professional field.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 wrote in an e-mail that Gould “had extraordinary breadth of interest and a fantastic capacity to draw lessons from history and from tales of the development of science.”

Lewis said he discussed baseball much more than science with Gould.

“We used to find each other at Fenway Park and commiserate about the Red Sox,” Lewis said. “While I loved many of his Natural History essays, my personal favorite of his writings was about the disappearance of the .400 hitter—a phenomenon he successfully argued had resulted from the general improvement in the quality of the game of baseball.”

Funeral arrangements have not been finalized, but colleagues said a service would be held both in Cambridge and New York.

Gould is survived by his second wife, Rhonda Roland Shearer, and by his two sons from his first marriage.

—Staff writer Jenifer L. Steinhardt can be reached at steinhar@fas.harvard.edu.

For a recent interview by The Crimson with Stephen J. Gould discussing his last book The Structure of Evolutionary Theory please see: A History of Life