Ernest Williams is Professor of Biology Emeritus at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. As a butterfly ecologist for nearly 40 years, he has studied the population biology and conservation of several butterfly species, including monarchs at their Mexican overwintering colonies. He taught undergraduate courses on ecology, evolution, and New York’s Adirondack Park. In addition to scientific articles, he writes about nature; one example is his book The Nature Handbook, which describes observable patterns in plants and animals. His Ph.D. is from Princeton University and his favorite thing to do is to be out in nature looking at plants, butterflies, and other living organisms.