Photo: Indiana Humanities / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Robin Wall Kimmerer, born on January 1, 1953 in New York, United States, is a naturalist, environmentalist and plant ecologist. That puts Robin Wall Kimmerer at 73 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes University of Wisconsin–Madison. Listed accolades include John Burroughs Medal (2005), MacArthur Fellows Program (2022) and National Humanities Medal (2023). Credited works include Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses and Braiding Sweetgrass.
My Take
Robin Wall Kimmerer is, to me, one of the most quietly transformative writers alive. As a Potawatomi botanist she braids Western science with Indigenous knowledge without subordinating either, and books like Gathering Moss and Braiding Sweetgrass reframe nature as gift rather than resource. That shift in posture matters enormously. Her awards, the 2005 John Burroughs Medal, a 2022 MacArthur Fellowship, and the 2023 National Humanities Medal, confirm what readers already felt. Born in 1953 in New York and trained at Wisconsin-Madison, she models a kind of attention I wish more of us practiced. I leave her work seeing the living world differently.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Name (Japanese)
- ロビン・ウォール・キメラー
- Reading
- ろびん・うぉーる・きめらー
- Born
- January 1, 1953 (age 73)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Snake
- Origin
- New York, United States
- Occupation
- naturalist / environmentalist / plant ecologist / ecologist / botanist
2. Background
- University
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
Awards & achievements
- 2005 John Burroughs Medal
- 2022 MacArthur Fellows Program
- 2023 National Humanities Medal
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses | — | |
| Notable work | Braiding Sweetgrass | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin%20Wall%20Kimmerer
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7352852
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Robin Wall Kimmerer born?
Born January 1, 1953 (age 73).
Where is Robin Wall Kimmerer from?
Robin Wall Kimmerer is from New York, United States.
What does Robin Wall Kimmerer do?
Robin Wall Kimmerer works as naturalist, environmentalist, plant ecologist, ecologist, botanist.
What is Robin Wall Kimmerer known for?
Notable works include Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, Braiding Sweetgrass.
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