Ariel E. Lugo is currently Director, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico where he has been since 1979.  He received his M.S. in Biology from University of Puerto Rico in 1965, and Ph.D. in Ecology from Department of Botany, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1969. He was Assistant then Associate Professor, Department of Botany, University of Florida from 1969 to 1979 where he taught courses in general ecology, aquatic ecology, and tropical ecology and ran a robust research program in freshwater and coastal wetlands and especially mangrove ecosystems. He was also a Staff Member, Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President (1978-1979) in Washington DC.  He authored or co-authored over 500 publications and scientific reports since 1970 and has received countless awards for his research and administration of programs.