Biography:Michael Jeffrey Balick
Michael J. Balick | |
|---|---|
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| Born | July 21, 1952 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Delaware Harvard University |
| Known for | Plants, People, and Culture (1996, 2020)[1][2] |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | New York Botanical Garden[3] |
| Thesis | The biology and economics of the Oenocarpus-Jessenia (Palmae) complex[4] (1980) |
| Doctoral advisor | Richard Evans Schultes[5] |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | Balick |
Michael Jeffrey Balick (born 1952) is an American ethnobotanist, economic botanist, and pharmacognosist,[6] known as a leading expert on medicinal and toxic plants, biocultural conservation and the plant family Arecaceae (palms).[3]
Education and career
Michael J. Balick graduated in 1975 with B.Sc. in agriculture and plant sciences from the University of Delaware, after spending the academic year 1972–1972 at Tel Aviv University. At Harvard University he graduated with M.Sc. in 1976 and Ph.D. in 1980, where he also attended Harvard Business School. At the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) he was from 1980 to 1989 an associate curator and the executive assistant to NYBG's president and is since 1989 NYBG's Philecology Curator of Economic Botany. In 1981 he was the co-founder, with Ghillean Prance, of NYBG's Institute of Economic Botany and since 1990 has been the institute's director. Balick has been an adjunct professor at Columbia University, Fordham University, the City University of New York,[7] New York University, and Yale University.[8]
Balick has worked in ethnobotany and ethnomedicine in remote areas of the tropics with people of indigenous cultures, as well as in New York City with people having traditional herbal knowledge[7] from China and the Caribbean.[9] From 1974 to 1975 he lived in Costa Rica and helped build the Wilson Botanical Garden at the Las Cruces Biological Station. From 1975 to 1997 he was a frequent researcher in Amazonia, where he studied palms and their local uses. He has done research and taught university courses in "ethnobotany and ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, floristics and conservation biology."[7]
In 1979, he was the first to receive 'The George H.M. Lawrence Memorial Award', in the amount of $2,000, presented by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University and presented at the annual banquet of the Botanical Society of America.[10]
Balick is the author or co-author of more than 160 scientific articles or book chapters. He is also the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of thirty books and monographs, varied among scientific and general interest.[3] He has been a co-collector with more than two dozen botanists, including Brian M. Boom, Andrew J. Henderson, and Ghillean Prance.[7] Balick has been doing research with Gregory M. Plunkett on the plants and ethnobotany of Vanuatu's Tafea Province.[3]
Among his academic and professional honors, Balick was elected in 1999 a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)[11] and in 2004 received the AAAS International Award for Scientific Cooperation. In 2018 he received the David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration of the National Tropical Botanical Garden and in 2020 the H. Marc Cathey Award for outstanding scientific research that has enriched horticulture and plant science from the American Horticultural Society. He is a founding member of the Daylight Academy, a scientific academy based in Zurich, Switzerland. For the academic year 2005-2006 he was a Guggenheim Fellow. He was the president of the Society for Economic Botany in 1992 and in 2009 was a recipient of the Society's Distinguished Economic Botanist award.[7] He is married to Emily Lewis Penn, a New York City realtor and poet.
Selected publications
Articles
- Balick, Michael J. (1984). "Ethnobotany of Palms in the Neotropics". Advances in Economic Botany 1: 9–23.
- Peters, Charles M.; Balick, Michael J.; Kahn, Francis; Anderson, Anthony B. (1989). "Oligarchic forests of economic plants in Amazonia: utilization and conservation of an important tropical resource". Conservation Biology 3 (4): 341–349. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.1989.tb00240.x. PMID 21129021. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523-1739.1989.tb00240.x.
- Balick, Michael J.; Mendelsohn, Robert (1992). "Assessing the Economic Value of Traditional Medicines from Tropical Rain Forests". Conservation Biology 6 (1): 128–130. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1992.610128.x.
- Cox, Paul Alan; Balick, Michael J. (1994). "The Ethnobotanical Approach to Drug Discovery". Scientific American 270 (6): 82–87. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0694-82. PMID 8023119. Bibcode: 1994SciAm.270f..82C.
- Mendelsohn, Robert; Balick, M. J. (1995). "The value of undiscovered pharmaceuticals in tropical forests". Economic Botany 49 (2): 223–228. doi:10.1007/BF02862929. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02862929.
- Balick, Michael J. (1996). "Transforming Ethnobotany for the New Millennium". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 83 (1): 58–66. doi:10.2307/2399968. ISSN 0026-6493. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/7759.
- Sheldon, Jennie Wood; Balick, Michael J.; Laird, Sarah A.; Milne, George M. (1997). "Medicinal Plants: Can Utilization and Conservation Coexist?". Advances in Economic Botany 12: i–104.
- Slish, Donald F.; Ueda, Hiroko; Arvigo, Rosita; Balick, Michael J. (1999). "Ethnobotany in the search for vasoactive herbal medicines". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 66 (2): 159–165. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00225-6. PMID 10433472.
- Balick, Michael J.; Kronenberg, Fredi; Ososki, Andreana L.; Reiff, Marian; Fugh-Berman, Adriane; Bonnie, O'Connor; Roble, Maria; Lohr, Patricia et al. (2000). "Medicinal plants used by latino healers for women's health conditions in New York City". Economic Botany 54 (3): 344–357. doi:10.1007/BF02864786.
- Sosa, S.; Balick, M.J.; Arvigo, R.; Esposito, R.G.; Pizza, C.; Altinier, G.; Tubaro, Aurelia (2002). "Screening of the topical anti-inflammatory activity of some Central American plants". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 81 (2): 211–215. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00080-6. PMID 12065153.
- Camporese, A.; Balick, M.J.; Arvigo, R.; Esposito, R.G.; Morsellino, N.; Simone, F.De; Tubaro, A. (2003). "Screening of anti-bacterial activity of medicinal plants from Belize (Central America)". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 87 (1): 103–107. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00115-6. PMID 12787962.
- Vandebroek, Ina; Balick, Michael J. (2012). "Globalization and Loss of Plant Knowledge: Challenging the Paradigm". PLOS ONE 7 (5): e37643. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037643. PMID 22662184. Bibcode: 2012PLoSO...737643V.
Books
- Balick, Michael J. (1988). Jessenia and Oenocarpus: Neotropical Oil Palms Worthy of Domestication. ISBN 9789251026762. https://books.google.com/books?id=NxDxAAAAMAAJ.
- Balick, Michael J.; Beck, Hans T. (1990). Useful Palms of the World: A Synoptic Bibliography. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231066761. https://books.google.com/books?id=Pg_OngEACAAJ.
- Prance, G. T., ed (1990). New directions in the study of plants and people: research contributions from the Institute of Economic Botany. Advances in Economic Botany 8. The New York Botanical Garden. ISBN 0-89327-347-3.[12]
- Anderson, Anthony B.; May, Peter H.; Balick, Michael J. (1991). Subsidy from nature : palm forests, peasantry, and development on an Amazon frontier. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231072229. https://books.google.com/books?id=Smr7WHJKkuoC.[13]
- Arvigo, Rosita; Balick, Michael J.; Evans, Laura (1993). Rainforest Remedies: One Hundred Healing Herbs of Belize. ISBN 9780914955139. https://books.google.com/books?id=pXkXacw6h7YC.
- Balick, Michael J.; Cox, Paul Alan (1996). Plants, people, and culture : the science of ethnobotany. New York: Scientific American Library.[1][2]
- Balick, Michael J.; Cox, Paul Alan (19 August 2020). Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany. ISBN 9781000098488. https://books.google.com/books?id=9C34DwAAQBAJ.
- Sheldon, Jennie Wood; Balick, Michael J.; Laird, Sarah A. (1997). Medicinal Plants: Can Utilization and Conservation Coexist?. Advances in Economic Botany, Volume 12. New York Botanical Garden, Scientific Publications Department. ISBN 978-0-89327-406-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=4KjwAAAAMAAJ.[14]
- Balick, Michael J.; Nee, Michael; Atha, Daniel E. (2000). Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Belize, with Common Names and Uses. ISBN 9780893274344. https://books.google.com/books?id=Wcv1oAEACAAJ.
- Human Impacts on Amazonia: The Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Conservation and Development. Columbia University Press. 2006. ISBN 978-0-231-10588-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=M4C-AwAAQBAJ.
- Nelson, Lewis S.; Shih, Richard D.; Balick, Michael J. (18 December 2007). Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-0-387-33817-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=-J-YxItyrHEC; revision of 1985 AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants
- Balick, Michael J. (26 February 2009). Ethnobotany of Pohnpei: Plants, People, and Island Culture. ISBN 9780824837495. https://books.google.com/books?id=14wBEAAAQBAJ.
- Balick, Michael (29 April 2014). Rodale's 21st-Century Herbal: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living Using Nature's Most Powerful Plants. ISBN 9781609618056. https://books.google.com/books?id=ycdWAwAAQBAJ.[15]
- Balick, Michael J.; Arvigo, Rosita (2015). Messages from the Gods: A Guide to the Useful Plants of Belize. ISBN 9780199965762. https://books.google.com/books?id=hsK6BwAAQBAJ.
- Dahmer, S.; Balick, Michael J.; Hillmann-Kitalong, Ann, et al. (2018). Palau Primary Health Care Manual: Health Care in Palau, Combining Conventional Treatments and Traditional Uses of Plants for Health and Healing. The New York Botanical Garden, Ministry of Health, Republic of Palau, Belau National Museum. ISBN:9781477446355
- Nelson, L.S.; Balick, Michael J. (2020). Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, Third Edition. Springer Science and Business Media, New York Botanical Garden. ISBN:9781493989249.
- Balick, Michael J.; Hillmann-Kitalong, Ann (2020). Ethnobotany of Palau: Plants, People and Island Culture, Volume 1. Belau National Museum/The New York Botanical Garden. ISBN:9798685012555.
- Balick, Michael J.; Hillmann-Kitalong, Ann (2020). Ethnobotany of Palau: Plants, People and Island Culture, Volume 2. Belau National Museum/The New York Botanical Garden. ISBN:9798685017864.
- Balick, Michael J.; Cox, Paul Alan (2020) Plants, People and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany, 2nd Edition. Taylor and Francis Group/CRC Press. ISBN:9780815345909.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marderosian, Ara der (1996). "Review of Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany by Michael J. Balick and Paul Alan Cox". The Quarterly Review of Biology 71 (4): 572. doi:10.1086/419583.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Knelman, Fred H. (2000). "Reviewed work: Plants, People and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany, Michael J. Balick, Paul Alan Cox". Peace Research 32 (1): 92–94.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Michael J. Balick, Vice President for Botanical Science, Director and Philecology Curator, Institute of Economic Botany". https://www.nybg.org/person/michael-balick/. (website with PDF links for more than 120 publications)
- ↑ Balick, Michael J. (1980). "The biology and economics of the Oenocarpus-Jessenia (Palmae) complex". https://hollis.harvard.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=01HVD_ALMA211896727060003941&context=L&vid=HVD2&lang=en_US&search_scope=everything&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=everything&query=creator,contains,balick,AND&query=any,contains,thesis,AND&mode=advanced&offset=0.
- ↑ "Lawrence Memorial Award". Bulletin of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation 1 (2): 2. Fall 1979. https://www.huntbotanical.org/admin/uploads/hibd-bulletin-1-2.pdf.
- ↑ "Michael Balick". https://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Doctoral-Programs/Biology/Faculty-Bios/Balick,-Michael.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Balick, Michael Jeffrey". https://plants.jstor.org/stable/history/10.5555/al.ap.person.bm000009602.
- ↑ "Michael J. Balick, Ph.D.". https://brainchemistrylabs.org/michael-j-balick-phd.
- ↑ "Michael J. Balick". https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/biodiversity-crisis/profile-michael-balick.
- ↑ "Lawrence Memorial Award | Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation". https://www.huntbotanical.org/about/?8.
- ↑ "Historic Fellows". https://www.aaas.org/fellows/historic.
- ↑ Clement, Charles R. (Summer 1994). "Review of New directions in the study of plants and people: research contributions from the Institute of Economic Botany by Ghillean T. Prance and Michael J. Balick". Journal of Ethnobiology 14 (1): 125–127. https://ethnobiology.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/JoE/14-1/BRNewDirectionsinPlantStudy.pdf.
- ↑ Schultes, Richard Evans (1993). "Review of The Subsidy from Nature by Anthony B. Anderson, Peter H. May & Michael J. Balick". Environmental Conservation 20 (2): 187. doi:10.1017/S037689290003798X.
- ↑ Milliken, W. (1998). "Review of Medicinal Plants: Can utilization and conservation coexist? by Jennie Wood Shelton, Michael J. Balick & Sarah A. Laird". Edinburgh Journal of Botany 55 (2): 324–325. doi:10.1017/S0960428600002262.
- ↑ Browning, Dominique (May 29, 2014). "Summer Reading: Gardening (with brief review of Rodale's 21st-Century Herbal)". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/books/review/rodales-21st-century-herbal-and-more.html.
- ↑ IPNI, Balick, http://www.ipni.org/ipni/advAuthorSearch.do?find_abbreviation=Balick
External links
- "Dr. Michael Balick: SB Southampton Dean's Lecture Series". Stony Brook University. May 6, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_B0MD-P1jc.
- "Dr. Michael Balick - Guest lecture at Taft School". The Taft School. December 4, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2KM26qaxJo.
- "Ancient Wisdom, Modern Practices: Three Decades of Studies with the Plants & People of Belize". New York Botanical Garden. October 13, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOxqRyv1Z5U. (June 19, 2015 lecture by Drs. Michael J. Balick and Rosita Arvigo at the New York Botanical Garden)
- "Interview With Balick and Cox". BOT107. September 8, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5F744PYCbw. (introductory ethnobotany class at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)
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