2010 BANQUET PRESENTATION

Arlene Blum, Ph.D.

Breaking Trail:
Peaks, Public Health, and Policy

Arlene Blum, biophysical chemist, author, and mountaineer is a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute.

Her past research contributed to the regulation of two cancer-causing chemicals that were used as flame retardants on children’s sleepwear. Blum has taught at Stanford University, Wellesley College, and U. C. Berkeley, and is the founder of The Green Science Policy Institute (GSP) which brings government, industry, scientists and citizens groups together to support policies to protect our health and environment. By stopping the unnecessary use of hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals in consumer products, GSP has contributed to preventing cancer as well as reproductive, neurological, endocrine, and other health impairments in humans and animals worldwide

Blum led the first American and all-women’s ascent of Annapurna I, among the world’s most dangerous and difficult mountains. She also led the first women’s team up Mt. McKinley; was the first American woman to attempt Mt. Everest; made the first traverse of the Great Himalaya Range of Bhutan, Nepal and India; and hiked the length of the European Alps with her baby daughter on her back.

Her first book, Annapurna: A Woman’s Place was included in Fortune magazine’s 2005 list of “The 75 Smartest Business Books We Know” and chosen by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the 100 top adventure books of all time. Her new memoir, Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life tells the story of how Blum realized improbable dreams among the worlds’ highest mountains, in the chemistry laboratory, and public policy arena.

Blum’s awards include a Purpose Prize to those over are 60 who are solving society’s greatest problems, National Women’s History Project selection as one of 100 “Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet” and a Gold Medal from the Society of Women Geographers, an honor previously given to only eight other women including Amelia Earhart, Margaret Mead, and Mary Leakey.