2010 Indianapolis Prize Nominating Committee
Beth Cate, Associate General Counsel
Indiana University
Beth Cate is Associate General Counsel for Indiana University and practices in a variety of areas, with emphases on intellectual property law and the law and ethics concerning research and the use of information technologies. Beth is also an adjunct member of the faculty in the University's School for Public and Environmental Affairs. Before joining the University in 1998, Beth served as in-house counsel for Eli Lilly and Company, practicing in a variety of areas; clerked for the Hon. S. Jay Plager of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; and practiced with the law firm of McKenna & Cuneo (now McKenna Long & Aldridge) in Washington D.C., focusing on civil litigation and international trade. Beth holds a B.A. in Economics from The George Washington University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, both with honors. She is a member of both EDUCAUSE and the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) and a frequent speaker for these and other organizations. Beth has served for many years on the Indianapolis Zoo’s board of trustees, as well as volunteering at the Zoo in animal care.
Devra G. Kleiman, Ph.D., Consultant, 1942-2010*
Devra Kleinman died on April 29, 2010. Dr. Kleiman helped create and define the field of conservation biology, and her contributions to the work of animal conservationists throughout the world are a living legacy. Noted zoologist Dr. Devra Kleiman consults on conservation projects worldwide while also serving as Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, at the University of Maryland and as Senior Scientist Emeritus, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC. At the Smithsonian Institution, Devra has served as Reproduction Zoologist, Head of the Department of Zoological Research, Assistant Director for Education and Animal Programs, and Senior Research Scientist. She also served as Director, Conservation Planning Program, Conservation International. An author of more than 170 articles, she has also edited eight books on animal conservation and been the keynote speaker at 42 conservation-related seminars. Devra Kleiman is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a former Trustee of The Digit Fund (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund), and Vice President of Save the Golden Lion Tamarin. She received her B.S. in Biopsychology from the University of Chicago and her Ph.D. in Zoology from University College, University of London.
Robert Lacy, Ph.D., Population Geneticist
Chicago Zoological Society
Robert (Bob) C. Lacy became Chair of the IUCN’s Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) in 2003, after 17 years as a CBSG member, volunteer, and Strategic Associate. Bob also works as a population geneticist in the Conservation Biology department of the Chicago Zoological Society and has a faculty position in the Committee on Evolutionary Biology of the University of Chicago. He has published more than 100 scientific papers on topics including genetics, population biology, evolutionary theory, ecology, behavior, physiology, taxonomy, and conservation. His current scientific interests include the effects of inbreeding on individual fitness and population viability, and genetic management of small populations. Bob helped develop techniques for genetic analysis and management of pedigrees, and has developed the genetic management software used to guide breeding programs of zoos worldwide. Bob Lacy is from Toledo, Ohio.
Georgina Mace, Ph.D., Director
National Environment Research Council Centre for Population (Imperial College London)
Professor Georgina Mace is Director of the National Environment Research Council Centre for population biology at Imperial College London. Prior to joining Imperial College, Professor Mace was Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a past Council member, and current editor of one of the Royal Society journals. She is also President of the Society for Conservation Biology, a member of the Steering Committee for the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Vice Chair of the Scientific Committee of Diversitas, an international science program, and was winner of the International Cosmos prize for work in biodiversity conservation. She has given numerous seminars and scientific talks at universities both nationally and internationally. During 2001-2005 she coordinated the chapter on biodiversity for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Professor Mace was awarded the CBE in 2007 for services to environmental science.
James Murtaugh, Program Director
The Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation
James Murtaugh has been the Program Director of The Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation since 1991, having previously served as Curator at two of the Wildlife Conservation Society's facilities - the Central Park Zoo and the Wildlife Survival Center on St. Catherine's Island in Georgia, where he managed captive breeding and research programs for threatened and endangered species. At the Foundation, Murtaugh administers international and domestic grant programs and plans and implements program-related projects. They include a web-based information clearinghouse to support collaborative resource management initiatives in the Western United States, a national conference on collaborative resource management in the Western United States, sequential analyses of the economy of the State of Montana, and an international conference on community-based conservation. Murtaugh is well published in the area of resources management, especially related to conservation. He was graduated from the University of Maryland.
Myrta Pulliam, Director of Special Projects
Indianapolis Star
Myrta Pulliam continued the work of her family, who owned and published several newspapers, including the Indianapolis Star, by spending her career in the family business. A graduate of the United States International University in San Diego, she went on to be a feature writer at the San Diego Evening Tribune, then Assistant City Editor and member of the Star investigative team that in 1975 won the Pulitzer Prize, the National SDX Award, and the Drew Pearson Award, among others, for its stories on police corruption. She later served at Life/Style Editor and Assistant Managing Editor for Graphics and News before assuming responsibility for Electronic News and Information. After the Star was acquired by Gannett Newspapers, Myrta became Director of Special Projects for the paper while continuing to pursue her many civic and corporate activities, including being the founder and a board member of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and serving on the board of trustees and as the 2004-2005 board chair for the Indianapolis Zoo.
Jan C. Ramer, DVM, Associate Veterinarian
Indianapolis Zoo
Dr. Jan Ramer works with a highly skilled team to handle the complex health care needs of the animal collection of the Indianapolis Zoo. From surgeries on tigers to checking parasites on baby lizards, Dr. Ramer’s daily activities are as varied as the animals at the Zoo. Prior to joining the Zoo staff in 1999, she was Adjunct Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University. Dr. Ramer has also served as Clinical Instructor, Special Species Health at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin. She has also served as Primate Veterinarian at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, along with several other positions, including being as animal keeper for ten years in the Primate Department at the Chicago Zoological Society. Jan received her B.S. degree in Biology from Purdue University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. She is affiliated with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, Association of Avian Veterinarians and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).
George Rabb, Ph.D., President Emeritus
Chicago Zoological Society
George Rabb served as Brookfield Zoo’s director from 1976 until 2003. His pioneering work led the zoo towards its current position as a conservation center, a concept Rabb has championed for zoos everywhere. Rabb received both masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, South. He joined Brookfield Zoo in 1956 as curator of research. Rabb created the zoo’s Education Department and was instrumental in the use of naturalistic exhibitry to provide visitors with environmental immersion experiences throughout the zoo. Dr. Rabb has affiliations with conservation organizations worldwide and is a respected spokesman on wildlife conservation issues. Most notably, he is past chairman (1989-1996) of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN, the largest species conservation network in the world, and he founded the Declining Amphibian Population Task Force. Rabb helped found and is still active in Chicago Wilderness, a multi-organizational consortium to maintain the exceptional biological diversity of the metropolitan region, and served as President of Chicago Wilderness Magazine until 2008. He is a research associate of The Field Museum and is on its board’s Science Committee. Dr. Rabb is on the Illinois State Museum Board (Chairman until 2008) and is also on the boards of Defenders of Wildlife and The Center for Humans and Nature.
George B. Schaller, Ph.D., Senior Conservationist
Wildlife Conservation Society
George B. Schaller is recognized by many as the world's pre-eminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia and South America. He was honored as the winner of the Indianapolis Prize in 2008. He is Senior Conservationist for the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society and holder of the Ella Millbank Foshay Chair in Wildlife Conservation. Schaller spends most of his time in the field, as he has for the past 50 years, in the wilds of Asia, Africa, and South America, where he has studied and helped protect animals as diverse as the mountain gorilla, the giant panda, the tiger, the lion, and the wild sheep and goats of the Himalayas. Schaller received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alaska in 1955, and went on to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to obtain his Ph.D. in 1962. Schaller's work in conservation has resulted in the protection of large stretches of area in the Amazon, Brazil, the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, and forests in Southeast Asia. Due to Schaller's work, over 20 parks or preserves worldwide have been established, including Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the Shey-Phoksundo National Park in Nepal, and the Chang Tang Nature Reserve. Schaller has written hundreds of magazine articles and dozens of books and scientific articles about animals all over the world. Over more than five decades, Schaller's field research has helped shape wildlife protection efforts around the world.
Denise L. Solso
Community Leader
Well known community leader Denise Solso received her B.A. from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She was very active in community affairs in Columbus, Indiana from 1971 to 2004, including serving the Columbus Area Arts Council, Dancers' Studio, the kidscommons children's community museum, Bartholomew County Volunteers in Medicine, and the Eastside Community Center. Denise taught social studies at ABC Stewart School in Columbus for 14 years. After she moved to Indianapolis in 2004, Denise became involved with Indianapolis Zoo and Eiteljorg Museum. She is well traveled, having spent time on all seven continents and living for a time in both Brazil and England. She is committed to serving the needs of youth and the cause of conservation.
