Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jane Goodall

How Jane Goodall built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Jane Goodall is a renowned English primatologist, zoologist, and anthropologist, considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. Since 1960, she has dedicated over 60 years to studying the social and family dynamics of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. Her groundbreaking research revolutionized our understanding of chimpanzee behavior, challenging previous assumptions about their tool use, social structures, and cognitive abilities. Beyond her scientific contributions, Goodall is a passionate advocate for environmental conservation and animal welfare, inspiring generations to protect our planet and its inhabitants through her work with the Jane Goodall Institute.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1957: Move to Kenya

In 1957, Jane Goodall was drawn to Africa and moved to the farm of a friend in the Kenya highlands. Subsequently, she worked as a secretary and contacted Louis Leakey, leading to her involvement in chimpanzee research.

1958: Studies in London

In 1958, Louis Leakey sent Jane Goodall to London to study primate behavior with Osman Hill and primate anatomy with John Napier, preparing her for her future research.

July 1960: Arrival at Gombe Stream National Park

On July 14, 1960, Jane Goodall, accompanied by her mother, arrived at Gombe Stream National Park to begin her chimpanzee research, becoming the first of the 'Trimates'.

1960: Start of Chimpanzee Study

In 1960, Jane Goodall began her study of chimpanzee social and family life in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. Her research revealed the personality, rational thought, and emotions of chimpanzees.

1960: First Chimpanzee Observation

In 1960, Jane Goodall ventured to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to begin her groundbreaking study of chimpanzees, marking the start of her 60-year investigation into their social and family interactions.

1962: Enrollment at the University of Cambridge

In 1962, despite not having a degree, Jane Goodall was sent to the University of Cambridge by Louis Leakey to pursue her studies. She was the eighth person to be allowed to study for a PhD at Cambridge without first obtaining a bachelor's degree.

1964: Bachelor of Arts Degree

By 1964, Jane Goodall received her Bachelor of Arts degree in natural sciences from Newnham College, Cambridge. Later that year, she enrolled at Darwin College to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in ethology.

1966: Completion of PhD Thesis

In 1966, Jane Goodall completed her PhD thesis, titled 'Behaviour of free-living chimpanzees,' detailing her first five years of study at the Gombe Reserve under the supervision of Robert Hinde.

1977: Establishment of Jane Goodall Institute

In 1977, Jane Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to support the Gombe research and protect chimpanzees and their habitats.

1986: Shift to Conservation Focus

In 1986, the Understanding Chimpanzees conference, hosted by the Chicago Academy of Sciences, shifted Jane Goodall's focus from observation of chimpanzees to a broader concern with animal-human conservation.

1990: Publication of Memoir

In 1990, Jane Goodall described the 1974-1978 Gombe Chimpanzee War in her memoir, 'Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe,' sharing her revolutionary findings on chimpanzee behavior.

Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe

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1991: Roots & Shoots Program Launch

In 1991, the Roots & Shoots program began when a group of 16 local teenagers met with Jane Goodall in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to discuss environmental and social issues.

1992: Foundation of Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre

In 1992, Jane Goodall founded the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre in the Republic of Congo to care for chimpanzees orphaned due to the bush-meat trade. The center houses over a hundred chimps on its three islands.

1993: Criticism for Anthropomorphism

In 1993, Jane Goodall reflected on past criticisms she received in the early 1960s for using terms like 'childhood' and 'personalities' when describing chimpanzees, which was considered anthropomorphism at the time.

1994: Foundation of TACARE Project

In 1994, Jane Goodall founded the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and Education (TACARE) pilot project to protect chimpanzees' habitat from deforestation by reforesting hills around Gombe and educating neighboring communities on sustainability and agriculture training.

1998: Presidency of Advocates for Animals

In 1998, Jane Goodall became the president of Advocates for Animals, an organization based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that campaigns against the use of animals in medical research, zoos, farming and sport. She resigned from the post in 2008

2000: Founding of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

In 2000, Jane Goodall and Professor Mark Bekoff founded the organization Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to ensure the safe and ethical treatment of animals during ethological studies.

2004: Devotion to Advocacy

As of 2004, Jane Goodall dedicated virtually all of her time to advocacy on behalf of chimpanzees and the environment, traveling nearly 300 days a year.

2008: Lecture and Advocacy

In 2008, Jane Goodall gave a lecture entitled 'Reason for Hope' and demanded the European Union end the use of medical research on animals and ensure more funding for alternative methods of medical research.

2009: Publication of "The Inner World of Farm Animals"

In 2009, Jane Goodall wrote in 'The Inner World of Farm Animals' about the awareness and intelligence of farm animals and the need for respect and help.

The Inner World of Farm Animals: Their Amazing Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Capacities

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2010: Roots & Shoots Global Reach

By 2010, the Roots & Shoots program had expanded to over 10,000 groups in over 100 countries, demonstrating its global impact on youth-led conservation efforts.

2010: Coalition for Chimpanzee Endangered Status

In 2010, Jane Goodall, through JGI, formed a coalition to petition for listing all chimpanzees as endangered. In 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) accepted this rule.

2011: Patron of Voiceless

In 2011, Jane Goodall became a patron of the Australian animal protection group Voiceless, advocating against factory farming and cruelty to animals.

2012: Engage in Conservation Challenge

In 2012, Jane Goodall took on the role of challenger for the Engage in Conservation Challenge with The DO School, where she collaborated with aspiring social entrepreneurs to create a workshop aimed at engaging young people in biodiversity conservation and addressing the global lack of awareness of the issue.

April 2014: Release of 'Seeds of Hope' after revisions

In April 2014, the book 'Seeds of Hope' by Jane Goodall and Gail Hudson was released after review and the addition of 57 pages of endnotes, following its initial postponement due to plagiarism concerns.

Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants

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2015: Endorsement and opposition to fox hunting

In 2015, Jane Goodall endorsed Caroline Lucas, a Green Party parliamentary candidate in the UK general election. Also in 2015, she opposed Conservative prime minister David Cameron's plan to amend the Hunting Act 2004, by signing a letter against fox hunting to Members of Parliament.

2015: Chimpanzees Classified as Endangered

In 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced that they would accept the rule that all chimpanzees would be classified as endangered, thanks to Jane Goodall's petition with a number of organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

2017: Disneynature Ambassador

As of 2017, Jane Goodall is an ambassador for Disneynature, contributing to their conservation efforts.

2017: Foreword to 'The Intelligence of the Cosmos'

In 2017, Jane Goodall wrote the foreword to the book The Intelligence of the Cosmos by Ervin Laszlo, where she expressed her belief in an Intelligence driving the process of evolution and a Supreme Being.

The Intelligence of the Cosmos: Why Are We Here? New Answers from the Frontiers of Science

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2018: Partnership with Schmidt's Naturals

In 2018, Jane Goodall partnered with Michael Cammarata on natural product lines from Schmidt's Naturals. Five percent of every sale benefited the Jane Goodall Institute.

2020: Advocacy for ecocide to be an international crime and vow to plant 5 million trees

In 2020, Jane Goodall advocated for ecocide to be made an international crime. That same year, she pledged to plant 5 million trees as part of the 1 trillion tree initiative founded by the World Economic Forum.

2020: Partnership with Neptune Wellness Solutions

In 2020, Jane Goodall partnered with Michael Cammarata on natural product lines from Neptune Wellness Solutions. Five percent of every sale benefited the Jane Goodall Institute.

October 2021: Contribution to 'The Most Important Comic Book on Earth'

In October 2021, Jane Goodall joined the Rewriting Extinction campaign and is listed as a contributor to the book The Most Important Comic Book on Earth: Stories to Save the World, which was released on 28 October 2021.

December 2021: Guest editor of BBC Radio Four Today programme

In December 2021, Jane Goodall was the guest editor of the BBC Radio Four Today programme, where she chose Francis Collins as the presenter of Thought for the Day.

2021: Vegan Lifestyle and Cookbook

In 2021, Jane Goodall became a vegan and authored a cookbook titled 'Eat Meat Less', advocating for the diet for ethical, environmental, and health reasons.