Biography
Richard William Nelson (pictured left), awarded degrees in basic and applied sciences, is a science writer, speaker, media producer, and the author of Darwin, Then and Now. The book traces the history of the rise and fall of the theory of evolution, beginning with Greek philosophers and into the twenty-first century.
As a third-generation native, Nelson loves the California surfing, sailing, and skiing lifestyle. Alongside the California Department of Education’s presentation of evolution as nature’s unifying principle, our subscription to National Geographic complimented the classroom explanations. Although seeming to conflict with biblical accounts at the time, evolution must be valid since it was “a scientific fact”—apparently.
Under-Graduate Education
Nelson’s early professional interests in high school included surfing, playing guitar, drawing, and a little history. After replying “Art” when asked by his Dad, an engineer and director of research in a global control manufacturing company, what do you plan to study in college, he only replied – “That should be interesting.” It was for a while.
As an art student, the topic of evolution flew well beyond the radar range. In the first semester of college, after surprisingly excelling in the sciences, especially math and chemistry, Nelson developed a fascination with gaining an understanding of nature’s mechanisms.
The following year, Nelson changed to a science major – and looked forward to experiencing more intriguing professional opportunities.
At the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Nelson developed a kin interest in biochemistry while studying biology and chemistry and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
Graduate Education
Following graduation from UCI, Nelson began studies in pharmaceutical sciences and was awarded a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California (USC) to further pursue his interests in biochemistry.
Post-Doctoral Clinical Fellowship Training
Following graduation from USC and being awarded the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Nelson completed one year of postgraduate clinical residency training and a one-year research fellowship in clinical pharmacokinetics at USC.
Professional Practice
Completing his training programs at USC, Nelson entered professional practice in the healthcare delivery system at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He later practiced at Eisenhower Health (EH)
in Rancho Mirage, California.
Nelson designed, implemented, and operated safe and effective medication systems throughout the organization for over 30 years. EH is one of our nation’s top 10% performing healthcare organizations. Nelson published numerous papers on clinical topics in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Chemistry and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Scientist, Writer, Media Producer, and Speaker
For more than a decade, Nelson has been writing and speaking on the scientific merits of biological
evolution nationally and internationally to audiences in community groups, schools, and universities.
Nelson regularly writes articles on new scientific findings associated with the theory of evolution on his website and engages with news posts and comments on Facebook and Instagram.
Questions or Comments
Please forward any questions or comments via this website.
Darwin Then and Now is an educational resource on the theory of biological evolution, its history, and the scientific challenges.
