Doctoral Dissertation Research: Cold War Convergence: The Making of a Chile-California Scientific Network

Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) represent two percent of terrestrial landmass but possess a plant diversity that is second only to that of the wet tropics. MTE regions—centered between thirty degrees and forty degrees north or south of the equator, and characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, sunny summers—demonstrate remarkable physical similarities, but efforts to study them collectively are relatively new. In 1971, biologists hailing from the world’s five MTE regions convened their first meeting. They collaboratively tested the evolutionary theory of convergence, the notion that like environments shape like life forms. In the process, they established a global scientific network based on common concern for these analogous landscapes. Now, this decentralized group of researchers represents a key body of expertise around urbanization, water scarcity, wildfires, and more. This project seeks to unpack and explain the connective success of a group of far-flung scientific individuals. Despite having no legal charter or institutional affiliation, the MTE network has endured—seemingly on the basis of strong personal and intellectual relationships. Findings from this project will offer insights into how science functions across national boundaries, and will be of interest to policy makers, scientists, and environmentalists of many stripes. Research focuses upon scientific contact between Chile and California, the two MTE regions often deemed most alike. The project draws upon archival research and new oral history content from interviews with key historical actors to address three related questions: What scientific and theoretical context influenced the working relationships of these scientists? Within the Cold War context, how did broad U.S. foreign policies designed to contain communism influence person-to-person relationships? And did these relationships translate into management decisions—did they influence conservation techniques, protected area boundaries, fire management policies, or in other ways shape the landscapes of California and Chile? This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.