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Commoner BarryAmerican biologist and ecologist
Date of Birth: 28.05.1917
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Barry Commoner's Early Life and Education
- Military Service and Post-War Career
- Environmental Advocacy
- Presidential Campaign and Later Life
Barry Commoner's Early Life and Education
Barry Commoner was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father, Isidor Kommoner (born Isaac Komenar), was a tailor from Chisinau who lost his sight when Commoner was young. His mother, Golda Yarmolinsky, was a homemaker.
Commoner's uncle was Avram Yarmolinsky, a translator of Russian literature and Dean of the Slavic division of the New York Public Library.
Commoner earned a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and went on to receive a master's degree in 1938 and a doctorate in 1941.
Military Service and Post-War Career
During World War II, Commoner served in the Navy as a lieutenant. After the war, he moved to St. Louis, where he taught plant physiology at Washington University for 34 years.
Environmental Advocacy
Commoner gained prominence in the late 1950s as an outspoken opponent of nuclear testing. He authored several books on the potential ecological dangers of nuclear weapons.
Presidential Campaign and Later Life
In 1980, Commoner ran for President of the United States as the nominee of the Citizens' Party. He received 0.27% of the popular vote.
After his failed presidential bid, Commoner moved to New York City and became the director of the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems at Queens College.
