Jeff Schweitzer

Dr. Jeff Schweitzer is an internationally recognized authority in bridging science, conservation, development and ethics. He has been a guest speaker at dozens of international conferences in Asia, Russia, Europe and across the United States.

Dr. Schweitzer began his scientific career in the fields of marine biology and neurophysiology. He earned his Ph.D. from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. His research focused on the evolution of sensory systems (hearing, sight, touch) with the goal of understanding how brains interpret the external world. Dr. Schweitzer chose to work with sharks because of their exquisite sensitivity to their environment. The results of that research, published in prestigious scientific journals, demonstrated that the structure and function of the brain has been amazingly conserved across time and species, further emphasizing the humble position of humankind on the evolutionary bush of life.

To pursue deeper aspects of brain function, Dr. Schweitzer joined the Center for Learning and Memory at the University of California, Irvine in 1984. There he explored fundamental principles of how we remember our world around us and within. His work contributed to the body of evidence proving that the adult brain continues to grow and renew itself, overturning decades of dogma.

AAAS Science, Engineering and Diplomacy Fellow
While at U.C. Irvine, Dr. Schweitzer was selected in 1986 to participate in the prestigious Science, Engineering and Diplomacy Fellowship program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He accepted the nomination in support of the program’s goal of increasing the involvement and visibility of scientists and engineers in public policy. At fellowship’s end, instead of returning to academia, Dr. Schweitzer devoted himself fully to international science cooperation, pursuing such cooperation as a means of addressing the world’s most challenging problems, beyond the capacity of any one country to fund or coordinate.

Chief Environmental Officer
In 1991 Dr. Schweitzer was appointed as the Chief Environmental Officer at the State Department’s Agency for International Development, and from that global perch saw clearly the need to take a new approach to environmental conservation and economic development. Helping to overturn decades of polarized debate, he developed policies and pursued programs to demonstrate that improving the human condition and protecting the environment are one and the same challenge, not mutually incompatible goals. He conceptualized and founded the multi-agency International Cooperative Biodiversity Group Program, an innovative U.S. Government effort to promote the conservation of biodiversity through rational economic use of natural resources.

Senior Science Advisor
His innovative work on environment and conservation at the Department of State soon caught the attention of the White House; in 1992 he was appointed to the position of Assistant Director for International Affairs in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Schweitzer was responsible for providing scientific and technological policy advice and analysis for the President's Science Advisor and the Vice President, and to coordinate the U.S. government's international science and technology cooperation. He worked with the president's cabinet and 22 U.S. Government technical agencies, and with countries throughout the world, in a broad range of fields including biology, physics, chemistry, geophysics, agriculture, oceanography and marine sciences. He was instrumental in establishing the permanent Global Forum on Science and Technology at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to promote greater international scientific collaboration.

During his tenure at the White House, Dr. Schweitzer realized that one critical element was missing from global efforts to bring science, conservation and development together; there was no appropriate ethical foundation providing a compelling mandate. Upon his retirement from government, Dr. Schweitzer devoted himself to the task of articulating and promoting such an ethic, a new way to ensure that humans can grow and prosper indefinitely in a healthy environment.

Degrees
Doctorate in Marine Biology and Neurophysiology Scripps Institution of Oceanography(1985) Thesis:  Studies of the Elasmobranch Central Electrosensory System

Bachelors of Science University of California, Santa Barbara (1979 summa cum laude)

Licenses
Private Pilot (Single and Multiengine Land; Instrument Airplane), U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration issued August 1990

Surface Supplied Air Diver (Hardhat Diver), NOAA Undersea Research Program issued December 1985

Advanced Master Diver, National Association of Underwater Instructors issued September 1980, La Jolla, California (Scripps Institution of Oceanography).

Personal life
Dr. Schweitzer brings to his personal life the same dedication and commitment that energizes his professional life. He has published more than 100 articles in an eclectic range of fields, including neurobiology, marine science, international development, environmental protection and aviation. He and his wife Sally are avid SCUBA divers, traveling the globe for opportunities to see new wildlife, never far from their roots as marine scientists. Dr. Schweitzer is a devoted pilot who owns and operates his personal aircraft. That form of transportation provides him with the flexibility needed to meet his busy schedule as a guest speaker at professional societies and lay conferences across the country. He founded and edits Malibu Mirage, a successful aviation magazine dedicated to pilots flying complex, pressurized single-engine airplanes.

Media Appearances
CNN Headline News Local Edition August 2007

CNN Headline News Local Edition July 2007

Interviews with Dr. Schweitzer

Discussions with Dr. Schweitzer

Aviation
Schweitzer, J. 2002 - present. Founder and Editor of the Malibu Mirage Magazine; Letter from the Editor; quarterly (all articles available at: http://download.mmopa.com/magazine/)

Schweitzer, J. 2007. Pushing Pilot and Plane to the Limit: Accepting High Risks for Extraordinary Results. Twin & Turbine. In press.

Schweitzer, J. 2007. Home on the Range: Tulsa, Oklahoma. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 	16(2): Summer Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2006. Colorado Springs: Wild Wild West. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 	15(2): Summer Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2005. Magical Mystic Tour: Convention at Mohegan Sun. Malibu 	Mirage Magazine, 14(2): Summer Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2004. Palm Springs: Desert Paradise. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 13(3): 	Fall Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2003. America’s Ancient City: St. Augustine. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 	12(3): Summer Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2002. Tucson: A Pre-convention Tour. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 11(3): 	Summer Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2002. Land of the Sky. Private Pilot, 37(10): 38-43

Schweitzer, J. 2002. No Radar? No Problem. Aviation Safety, XXII(2): 6-8, 25

Schweitzer, J. 2002. Becoming an Owner. Private Pilot, 37(2): 68-72.

Schweitzer, J. 2001. Adventures in Asheville. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 10(3): Summer 	Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2001. Anatomy of a Thunderstorm. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 10(2): 	Spring Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2001. The New Meridian: Making History. Malibu Mirage Magazine, 	10(1): Winter Issue Feature Article

Schweitzer, J. 2001. Beyond See and Avoid. Aviation Safety, XXI(1): 14-18

Schweitzer, J. 2000. Malibu Mirage: The Ultimate Piston Single. Avweb, Dec 2000, http://www.avweb.com/articles/malibu/

Schweitzer, J. 2000. The Sunshine State: Flying Adventures in Central Florida. Private Pilot, 35(11): 54-57

Schweitzer, J. 2000. Automated Weather. Aviation Safety, XX(9): 7-10

Schweitzer, J. 2000. The Everglades. Private Pilot, 35(6): 72-75

Schweitzer, J. 2000. When to Launch: The Go/No Go Decision. Private Pilot, 35(6): 50-53

Schweitzer, J. 2000. Myths and Mysteries of Multiple Engines. Private Pilot, 34(2): 66-69

Schweitzer, J. 1999. The Ninth Annual Malibu/Mirage Fly-In: Kansas City. MMOPA, 8(4): 10-13,36.

Schweitzer, J. 1999. Galveston: A Great Gulf Getaway. Private Pilot, 34(9): 54-57,89

Schweitzer, J. 1999. A Profile of Rhonda Cornum: Helicopters, F15s, Glassairs, Racehorses and the Gulf War. Custom Plane, 2(2):42-45.

Schweitzer, J. 1999. Cross Country Coast to Coast: The Best and Worst in General Aviation. Private Pilot, 34(1): 54-58.

Schweitzer, J. 1998. Possum Kingdom. Private Pilot, 33(12): 68-71

Schweitzer, J. 1998. The Jet Stream. Private Pilot, 33(12): 36-41

Schweitzer, J. 1998. El Nino and La Nina: Tale of Two Twins. Private Pilot, 33(11):76-78

Schweitzer, J. 1998. The Magic of Flight. Private Pilot, 33(6): 44-45,90-91

Schweitzer, J. 1998. Cross Country Adventure in a New Cessna 172: Fly Fishin’ Fly-In. Private Pilot, 33(6): 30-33

Schweitzer, J. 1998. Great Battlefields of the Civil War: Historic Fly-In Destinations. Private Pilot, 33(4): 52-57

Schweitzer, J. 1998. Killer Ice. Flying, 125 (2): 109-111

Schweitzer, J. 1998. Southern Comfort in the Allegheny Mountains. Private Pilot, 33(1): 32-37

Schweitzer, J. 1997. The Perfect Excuse to Fly. Private Pilot, 32(11):66-68

Schweitzer, J. 1997. Avoiding Cumulonimbus. Private Pilot, 32(8):80-81,92

Schweitzer, J. 1997. Altitude Aptitude. Private Pilot, 32(6):40-41.

Schweitzer, J. 1996. Pitch, Power and Performance. Plane & Pilot, 32(3):58-61.

Schweitzer, J. 1996. Pitch, Power and Airspeed. IFR, 12(3):18-21.

International Development
Schweitzer, J. 1992. Conserving Biological Diversity in Developing Countries. Fisheries, (May-June 1992), 17(3):35-38.

Schweitzer, J. 1991. Economics, Conservation, and Development. In: Valuing Environmental Benefits in Developing Economics (Ed. J.R. Vincent). Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. pp. 1-10.

Schweitzer, J., Handley, F.G., Edwards, J., Harris, W.F., Grever, M.R., Schepartz, S.A., Cragg, G., Snader, K., Bhat, A. 1991. Drug Development, Biological Diversity, and Economic Growth: Summary of an International Workshop. J. Nat. Cancer Inst., 83(18):1294-1298.

Schweitzer, J. 1990. Saving the Tropical Forests. Foreign Service Journal, 67(10): 32-35.

Schweitzer, J. 1988. A.I.D. Policy Paper: Environment and Natural Resources. Bureau for Program and Policy Coordination, Agency for International Development, PN-AAV-464.

Neurophysiology and Marine Biology
Schweitzer, J., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. 1986. The rete mirabile cranica of Mobula: a comparative study. J. Morph., 188: 167 178.

Schweitzer, J. 1986. The neural basis of electroreception in elasmobranchs. In: Indo Pacific Fish Biology (Eds. T. Uyeno, R. Arai, T. Taniuchi, K. Matsuura). Ichthyological Society of Japan, Tokyo, Japan. pp. 392 407.

Schweitzer, J. 1986. Functional organization of the electroreceptive midbrain in an elasmobranch (Platyrhinoidis triseriata): a single unit study. J. Comp. Physiol., 158: 43 58.

Schweitzer, J. 1985. Studies of the elasmobranch central electrosensory system, with emphasis on functional organization of the electroreceptive midbrain in the thornback ray. Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, San Diego.

Schweitzer, J., Lowe, D. 1984. Mesencephalic and diencephalic cobalt lysine injections in an elasmobranch: evidence for two parallel electrosensory pathways. Neurosci. Lett., 44: 317 322.

Schweitzer, J. 1983. The physiological and anatomical localization of two electroreceptive diencephalic nuclei in the thornback ray, Platyrhinoidis triseriata. J. Comp. Physiol., 153: 331 341. http://www.springerlink.com/(rshyvf45fjfi5345fy4gs1z4)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,5,13;journal,268,839;linkingpublicationresults,1:100424,1

Corwin, J.T., Bullock, T.H., Schweitzer, J. 1982. Auditory brainstem responses in five vertebrate classes. Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol., 54: 629 641.

Abstracts
Schweitzer, J., Diamond, D.M., Weinberber, N.M. 1986. Hypothalamic stimulation as an effective US during rapid, discriminative pupillary conditioning in the cat. Neurosci. Abstr., 12: 214.

Schweitzer, J., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. 1985. Peculiar intracranial circulation in an elasmobranch: the rete mirabile cranica in Mobula. Neurosci. Abstr., 11: 1313.

Schweitzer, J. 1985. Central nervous system representation of electroreception in elasmobranchs: implications for vertebrate evolution. Int. Indo Pacific Fish Conference, 2: 145.

Schweitzer, J. 1984. Somatotopic organization and bimodal representation in the electroreceptive midbrain of the elasmobranch, Platyrhinoidis triseriata. Neurosci. Abstr., 10: 846.

Schweitzer, J., Lowe, D. 1983. Use of cobalt lysine for tracing the connections of electroreceptive nuclei in an elasmobranch. Neurosci. Abstr., 9: 1064.

Schweitzer, J. 1982. Diencephalic responses to electroreceptive input in the thornback ray, Platyrhinoidis triseriata. Neurosci. Abstr., 8: 1026.

Corwin, J.T., Bullock, T.H., Schweitzer, J. 1981. The auditory brainstem responses (ABR) in several vertebrate classes: a physiological facet of brain evolution. Neurosci. Abstr., 7: 843.