Prestigious International Cosmos Prize
Awarded to Past AAAS President

Dr. Peter Raven, director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and past chairman of the board of AAAS, has won the prestigious International Cosmos Prize for 2003.

Raven is one of the world's leading botanists and advocates of conservation and biodiversity. Described by Time magazine as a "Hero for the Planet," he champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment.

The Cosmos Prize recognizes the work of researchers and scientists who foster a view of humanity and the environment as belonging to a single system, recognizing the interdependent relationship among all living organisms on Earth. It rewards research and achievements not only in the natural, cultural, and social sciences but also in literature, criticism, and other disciplines. Raven is honored for his "outstanding research work and achievement concerning all life phenomena on Earth embodied in flowers and greenery."

Raven will receive the commendation, a pure gold medallion and 40 million Japanese yen ($340,000), at a ceremony in Osaka, Japan, in October, where he will give a lecture and participate in a symposium held in his honor.

4 September 2003