2017 Presentation: Florence Williams

With a string of long-form articles on such topics as forest bathing, the effects of natural fractal patterns on our brains, the science of negative sounds and the benefits of nature for kids with ADHD, Florence Williams is the preeminent modern journalist at the intersection of health, science and the environment. She is a contributing editor at Outside magazine, and her work has also appeared in National Geographic, New York Times Magazine, Mother Jones and Slate. Her first book, the 2012 Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in science and technology and was named a notable book of 2012 by The New York Times. More recently, she traveled around the world — from forest trails in Korea to islands in Finland — on a quest to investigate the science behind nature and well-being, which became the basis for her new book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative, an illuminating read for anyone who’s ever wondered why it feels so good to take a walk in the woods.