Think Globally, Act Locally #598: F. Taylor Ostrander Papers

Published May 19, 2026 at 6:00 AM MDT

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Article by René Dubos from The SmithKline Forum for a Healthier American Society, May 1979. Box 32, F. Taylor Ostrander papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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A page of René Dubos’ opening address at the René Dubos Forum, September 9, 1977. Box 31, F. Taylor Ostrander papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Photographs of René Dubos from Suburbia Today, August 30, 1981. Box 32, F. Taylor Ostrander papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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“Reason for Optimism”, an article written by René Dubos published in The New York Times, March 6, 1982. Box 31, F. Taylor Ostrander papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

René Dubos [pronounced du-BOZE] was born in France in 1901. He arrived in the U.S. as a young man and soon earned a PhD for his work in bacteriology. He was involved in the discovery of new antibiotics, and he contributed to the eradication of tuberculosis.

Dubos was also passionate about the environment. He advocated for a pragmatic approach to environmental problems, earning him support from both the corporate world and the environmental movement. He coined the phrase “Think globally, act locally.”

In 1972 Dubos co-authored Only One Earth, a report commissioned by the Secretary General of the United Nations. He argued for a balance of initiatives, considering both the environment and the development of the earth’s resources.

Dubos founded the René Dubos Center for Human Environments in 1977. He is remembered for his optimism and his many contributions in the fields of medicine, science, and the humanities.

Learn more in the F. Taylor Ostrander papers at UW’s American Heritage Center.