Ayala, Francisco J.

Ayala, Francisco J. (José) (1934–  ) zoologist, geneticist; born in Madrid. He came to the U.S.A. in 1961. He performed genetic research at Rockefeller University (1964–65), taught at Providence College (1965–67), then returned to Rockefeller University (1967–71). He moved to the University of California: Davis (1971–87) before joining the University of California: Irvine in 1987. He made major contributions to the studies of evolution and population genetics, including biochemical and molecular evolution. He also published philosophical explorations of the ethical and humanistic issues related to evolutionary biology.