16th Special Focus on Global Change
For most of the program’s history, we have honored five awardees, one each in fields of great importance to Senator John Heinz, including arts and the humanities, the environment, public policy, technology, and the human condition. Last year, we made an exception to this approach, honoring 10 individuals for their work on the environment, one of Senator Heinz’s highest priorities. This year we want to take this focus even further.
The world is at a crucial moment, brought there by the scale of the human enterprise on Earth. Scientists refer to the cumulative effects of human activities and natural processes on the Earth as global change. The risks of failing to address global change are too great to accept.
Therefore, we seek nominations of people who are addressing global change in unique, innovative and powerful ways. These individuals might come from the field of human health - epidemiology, human biology, or the health of our physical planet - oceans, flora and fauna, the field of geology, biodiversity and ecology. Or, their work may involve the arts, journalism, international security, economics, or the impact of demographic change and population growth. Last, but not least, we will look for individuals whose work utilizes technological, engineering, chemical, medical, and other fields of expertise to offer innovative thinking, scientific solutions or products to deal with this web of issues --- to prevent, mitigate or adapt to global changes. The goal is to find the best and the brightest.