Renowned biologist and Dartmouth alumnus Stuart Kauffman '61, who arrives today to begin his 11-day stint as a Montgomery Fellow, said he looks forward to being pestered by as many people as possible.
"I hope a bunch of undergraduates who want to hear really weird things will come and find me," he said. "One reason to come on campus is to be around to be pestered."
Kauffman has earned popular acclaim for his book "At Home in the Universe," which was a Book of the Month Club selection. The book defends the possibility that the processes that led to life on earth could exist on other planets.
Kauffman was given a so-called "genius grant" from the MacArthur Fellowship. He was a member of the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club as an undergraduate.
Kauffman, a professor at the Sante Fe Institute, is an authority on the science of complexity -- a school of thought which theorizes that life was the natural product of the combination of simple chemicals into more complex forms, according to a College press release.
During his visit, Kauffman will meet with professors and students to discuss his theories and his book.
"This is a chance for one of the old fogies who still loves Hanover to come back and share his interest and excitement," he said. "You can be 57 and still share it. That's a pleasure."
Professors will meet to discuss the first three chapters of Kauffman's book over lunch on Wednesday, Biology Professor Eric Lambie said. This Friday, Kauffman will deliver a speech on eukaryotic genetic regulatory networks.
Kauffman will meet with small groups of faculty and students, said Biology Professor Victor Ambros.
A group of about 25 students will have an informal meeting with Kauffman Thursday evening, Post-Doctoral Fellow Richard Roy said.
"I think [Kauffman's visit] is a great opportunity for the College," he said. "The guy's a genius. He can meld it all together and he really has a good way of explaining things."
Dartmouth professors will also have the opportunity to discuss their research with Kauffman.
Professor of Engineering Sciences George Cybenko said he is looking forward to his chance to speak with Kauffman.
"He's a world authority on evolutionary modeling," he said. "I think it's great he's going to be here for two weeks."
Amit Malhotra '98 said he is looking forward to meeting with Kauffman. "He's an incredibly interesting guy," he said.
