John Vandermeer
Quick Facts
Biography
John Harry Vandermeer (born 1940) is an American ecologist. He is the Asa Gray Distinguished University Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan, where he has taught since 1971. His research focuses on the ecology of agricultural systems, and he has operated a plot of coffee plants in Mexico for his research for more than fifteen years. In 2016, the symposium "Science with Passion and a Moral Compass" was held to honor his career as a scientist and activist. The symposium, also known as VandyFest, was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan from May 6 to May 8.
Early life and education
Vandermeer was born in 1940 in Chicago, Illinois. He was educated at the University of Illinois, the University of Kansas, and the University of Michigan.