The Jonathan Wright Foundation

Jonathan C. Wright

Dr. Jonathan Wright (1962-2019), the William A. Hilton Zoology Professor and Professor of Biology, and former Associate Dean at Pomona College truly embodied the definition of the term naturalist. Born in Hull, England, Jonathan formed immediate interests in natural history, where he spent time in the local woods and ponds collecting invertebrates and bringing them home (much to the dismay of his parents). These interests led him to pursue zoology in university, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology at Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall, and subsequently both a Masters and PHD in invertebrate Zoology. Following a whirlwind of research fellowships, taking him from Ontario, Canada, to Copenhagen, Denmark, and ultimately the United States, Jonathan accepted a faculty position at South Dakota’s Northern State University, where a love of teaching emerged. Five years later, Jonathan moved to Claremont, accepting a faculty role at Pomona College, where he remained and taught until his passing.

Jonathan was truly devoted to his students and role as a professor and mentor, supervising close to 70 undergraduate students in research projects. Wright prided himself on inspiring and engaging his undergraduate students, who appear as co-authors on almost all of his 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications, a testament to his trust and love for his students. Many remember Jonathan’s ability to find beauty and excitement in even the tiniest creatures, exemplified by an observation of the speed of a tiny (1mm) mite, which led to the discovery that this particular species is the fastest animal on earth relative to it’s body size currently known to man.

The Jonathan Wright Foundation is proud to further Wright’s goals promoting undergraduate research in the biological sciences, and seeks to continue to inspire fascination in the world’s biodiversity.