Simon Levin is a biologist who uses mathematical modeling to understand patterns of ecosystems and biological diversities. Levin's work has earned him many honors, including membership of the National Academy of Sciences and the 2005 Kyoto prize. He received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Maryland. After spending many years at Cornell he is currently the Moffett Professor of Biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Princeton University.