This is Science Friday. I'm Ira Flato. I'm saddened with the news this week that Dr. Jane Goodall has passed away at 91.

Now I could recount for you her credentials and awards, but you're going to read a lot of obits about Jane Goodall,

so I want to tell you about the Jane Goodall I grew to know and admire

over the decades I interviewed her. Jane Goodall had guts. She never took no for an answer.

She went into the jungles of the Gompe Forest in Tanzania with no formal training as a scientist,

inventing observation techniques and methods. Others would use later, invent them as she went along.

That's how talented and determined she was.

When she saw the environment that she had grown to love under attack, she didn't wait for others to lead.

She went headlong, like she had into the jungle, and fought back, becoming a tireless advocate for conservation.

Accumulating kudos, credits, and awards along the way, even becoming Dame Jane,

she knew those accolades would help her cred when she spread her message.

Dame Jane embodied the meticulous precision of a scientist and the deep compassion of a humanitarian.

She emphasized the importance of hope for survival.

Her legacy of discovery, preservation, and empathy continues to shape global conservation efforts

and inspire action. I was fortunate to have our paths cross numerous times, the last being her

90th birthday celebration in New York last year.

So on a sad day like today, I thought it would be comforting to be reminded of the boundless,

positive, welcoming spirit she carried. You're going to hear it in our conversation from 2002.

We talked about her first entry into the world of the chimps,

her many discoveries, and her hopes for a better future. Thank you very much for coming and to

join us today. Thanks for inviting me. Let's talk a little bit about your background. Gailbert

Grobner, chairman of the National Geographic Society, once wrote about you in one of your books.

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