Peter Wyse Jackson

Who is Peter Wyse Jackson?

Dr. Peter Sherlock Wyse Jackson was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, and is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, with whose botanic gardens he is associated. His father, Robert Wyse Jackson, was Bishop of Limerick and Dean of Cashel. His brother Patrick, born 1960 in Cashel, Tipperary, Ireland, is an Associate Professor in Geology and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin.

Dr. Wyse Jackson served for many years as Secretary-General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International, a global network of botanical gardens dedicated to conservation and biodiversity issues. In 2005 he was appointed Director of the Irish National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin. On 1 September 2010 he succeeded Dr. Peter Raven as President of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. Concurrently with his selection as President of the Missouri Botanical Garden, he was named the George Engelmann Professor of Botany at Washington University in St. Louis.

He has written academic papers on plant conservation, botanic gardens and endangered island flora conservation.