Bob Kates was an independent scholar in Trenton, Maine; Senior Research Associate at Harvard University; Presidential Professor of Sustainability Science at the University Of Maine; and University Professor (Emeritus) at Brown University. Trained as a geographer, he led interdisciplinary programs addressing environment and development at the University of Dar as Salaam in Tanzania, Clark University, and the World Hunger Program at Brown University. He was co-chair for the 1999 National Academy of Sciences report, Our Common Journey: A Transition Toward Sustainability and co-convener of the Initiative on Science and Technology for Sustainability. He co-authored or edited foundational studies on natural hazards, climate impact assessment, and transformational adaptation to climate change.