Pulitzer Prize winner Jared Diamond is that rare scientist who can speak to the public – and be understood. His critically acclaimed books – including Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel – have captivated readers and altered the way we view anthropology, ecology, geography and evolutionary biology. Diamond’s work combines diverse and seemingly unconnected topics such as the domestication of animals, the origins of smoking and drug use, the reason for menopause, the development of the Indo-European family of languages, and the displacement of Native Americans. Diamond’s polymath approach is quite at home in UCLA’s interdisciplinary culture – where different skills, expertise and schools of thought converge to tackle humanity’s most vexing issues in ways that captivate the public.