In the summer of 1960, a young Englishwoman arrived on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, East Africa. Although it was unheard of for a woman to venture into the wilds of the African forest, going meant the fulfillment of Jane Goodall's childhood dream.

Encouraged by her mother, Vanne, Goodall's lifelong fascination with animals began at an early age. Throughout her childhood she read avidly about wild animals, dreaming about living like Tarzan and Dr. Doolittle and writing about the animals with whom she lived.

As a young lady, her passion grew stronger. And when a close friend invited her to Kenya in 1957, Jane readily accepted. Within a few months of her arrival she met the famed anthropologist and paleontologist, Dr. Louis Leakey. One of Leakey's interests was to study wild chimpanzees in order to gain insight into the evolutionary past of humans. Goodall's patience and persistent desire to understand animals prompted Leakey to choose her to undertake this pioneering study. He believed that a mind uncluttered by academia would yield a fresh perspective. Leakey intended for Goodall's research to be long-term, yet critics believed she would last no longer than three weeks.

In 1965, Goodall earned her Ph.D. in Ethology from Cambridge University. Soon thereafter, she returned to Tanzania to continue research and to establish the Gombe Stream Research Centre. Her profound scientific discoveries laid the foundation for all future primate studies. One of many observations that amazed the world was that of chimpanzees making and using tools. This behavior was previously believed to separate humans from other animals. And over the years her studies have shown the many striking similarities between humans and chimpanzees.

As the recipient of numerous awards and the author of many books and articles, Goodall is world-renowned and highly respected in both the scientific and lay communities. Goodall was the international recipient of the 1996 Caring Award and Sigman Xi's 1996 William Proctor Prize for Scientific Achievement. In 1995, Goodall received the National Geographic Society's prestigious Hubbard Medal "for her extraordinary 35-year study of wild chimpanzees and for tirelessly defending the natural world we share." Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded her the Commander, British Empire, and she is the only non-Tanzanian to have received the Medal of Tanzania.