1941 – 2001

Donella Meadows

American environmental scientist, teacher, and writer (1941–2001)

environmental scientistchemistauthorteacherwriter

Born

1941-03-13, Elgin

Died

2001-02-20

Birthplace state

Illinois

Biography

Donella Hager "Dana" Meadows was an American environmental scientist, educator, and writer. She is best known as lead author of the books The Limits to Growth and Thinking In Systems: A Primer.

Occupation

Donella Meadows is recorded as a environmental scientist, a chemist, a author, a teacher, a writer and a naturalist, born in Illinois (1941–2001).

Connections to Illinois

Donella Meadows was born in Elgin, Illinois in 1941. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Illinois›Illinoishistory ›Historic sites in Illinois›

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Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)

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Ernest Hemingway

American author and journalist (1899–1961)

Robin Williams

American actor and comedian (1951–2014)

Ray Bradbury

American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)

Bobby Fischer

American chess player (1943–2008)

James Watson

American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about Donella Meadows

Who was Donella Meadows?

Donella Meadows was American environmental scientist, teacher, and writer (1941–2001), born in Illinois (1941 – 2001).

When and where was Donella Meadows born?

Donella Meadows was born on 1941-03-13 in Elgin.

When did Donella Meadows die?

Donella died on 2001-02-20.

What was Donella Meadows known for?

Donella Meadows is recorded as a environmental scientist, a chemist, a author, a teacher, a writer and a naturalist.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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