Leo William Buss

Evolutionary Biologist Class of 1989
location icon Location
New Haven , Connecticut
age iconAge
36 at time of award

About Leo's Work

Leo Buss is a biologist who studies evolution and the structure of evolutionary theory.

Buss is interested in the genetics of evolution and how it relates to an organism’s development from a single cell to an entire animal.  His application of pure theory to the physical life of animals points to recognizable patterns in embryology, immunology, and evolution.  By synthesizing paleontology and invertebrate zoology, Buss has pioneered a new discipline in evolutionary theory.  In association with Walter Fontana, he investigated the application of formalisms from theoretical computer science to outstanding problems in evolutionary biology.  His book, The Evolution of Individuality (1987), has created a broad theoretical reassessment of the evolution of developmental constraints.

Biography

Buss is a professor in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (1979), and of Geology and Geophysics (1988) at Yale University, and is Curator of Invertebrates at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Natural History.  He was director of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies (1991-96), and for several years chaired the Program in Organismal Biology.  His numerous articles have appeared in such journals as Genetics and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

Buss received a B.A. (1975), an M.A. (1977), and a Ph.D. (1979) from the Johns Hopkins University.

Last updated January 1, 2005.

Published on August 1, 1989

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