John P. Holdren was appointed the first Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at the Kennedy School Government two weeks ago.

Holdren leaves the University of California at Berkeley, where he has gained fame for his work on global environmental and international security issues.

"There is no one [who] has consistently contributed more to our understanding of environmental degradation, resource use and the dangers of nuclear proliferation than John Holdren," Dean of the Kennedy School Joseph S. Nye said in a press release.

Holdren has written more than written more than 250 articles on global environmental problems. He has also authored or co-authored 13 books.

Energy, written by Holdren in 1971, foreshadows the global energy crisis and offers conservation tips that policy makers increasingly have implemented over the past 25 years.

Holdren will spearhead a department of science, technology and public policy at the Kennedy School's Center for Science and International Affairs.

Holdren is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and President Clinton's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology.

"[T]he exceptional faculty and students at the School and Harvard as a whole...make this a most outstanding place to work on the issues of science and public affairs that most interest me," Holdren said.