Dexter Fellowship Program in Tropical Conservation Biology

This fund was established by the Lewis Anthony Dexter Trust in 2003 for the Program for Studies in Tropical Conservation, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.

The Dexter Family

Lewis Anthony Dexter (1915-1995) was a political scientist with a broad interest in economics and sociology. Based at Johns Hopkins University and elsewhere, he had a productive and long career that produced some of the most influential books of the mid-20th century on the subject of business and government and the rise of special-interest politics. In 1964, Lewis won the Woodrow Wilson Award for best book on politics and international affairs for American Business and Public Policy. Dr. Dexter became increasingly interested in environmental conservation later in life and established a fund to support new programs and fellowships in global environmental protection.

Robert Cloutman Dexter (1887-1955) was an ordained minister and prominent leader in refugee and humanitarian programs during the 1930s and 1940s. Directing the then newly-established Unitarian Service Committee, Reverend Dexter led the Unitarian association’s efforts to help Jews escape Nazi persecution in Europe. An intellectual interested in New England history and politics, Mr. Dexter contributed essays to The Nation and other magazines.

Elisabeth Anthony Dexter (1887-1971), a historian, was on the faculty of Radcliffe College in the early 20th century. Her book, Colonial Women of Affairs: Women in Business and the Professions in America before 1776, is regarded as one of the classics of early American social history. Dr. Dexter also was active in refugee programs during the 1940s and joined Robert on fact-finding missions in Europe through the Unitarian Service Committe