John Harvard's Journal triple the size of an already established cepting any limits, a situation complicated Europeans arrived, the rats that came 150,000-square-kilometer “no-take” fish by the economic gains and the wish for with the original Polynesian settlers reserve (the fourth-largest of its kind in more autonomy at the provincial level. “were devouring the seeds of the future the world) around a neighboring island, “We are in a pre-existing, complicated po- forests, and the forests were being cut Salas y Gomez. Especially critical to re- litical environment,” Sharpless concedes. down to plant sweet potato fields,” he storing the region’s fish population is con- “I don’t know whether we’re going to win explains. By the time Dutch explorer serving the chain of seamounts between there. But I think we have a good chance.” Jacob Roggeveen got there, on Easter the two islands. Separately, Oceana is in Oceana hopes that Chilean president Se- morning in 1722, “the place was already discussions with the indigenous people, bastián Piñera acts within a typically in rapid decline, with anarchy, disorder, the Rapa Nui, about prohibiting indus- nonpoliticized time frame: after this No- starvation, and signs of cannibalism.” trial fishing (vessels more than 18 meters vember’s presidential election and before The risks and results of environmental long) within a 200-mile zone around Eas- March 2014, when he leaves office. ruin were probably as clear to Roggeveen ter Island “in a way,” Sharpless says, “that then as they should be to modern observ- does not offend their ancestral fishing This May, Sharpless’s Gameboy Weekend ers, he adds. “This is what you get when rights.” The rapid decline of tuna, sharks, also featured a Saturday night discussion, you have shortsighted overuse of natural and other big fish is primarily due to in- over drinks, of life’s lessons. The question resources: a collapse that is ugly and dis- dustrial fishing, particularly from illegal posed was: What do you know to be true advantageous for civilization.” foreign fleets, according to Oceana. As a now that you didn’t believe when you were Still, there is hope, he insists. The oceans result, in an ironic scenario, the majority younger? At 20, Sharpless believed good in- are surprisingly resilient and, with help, of island businesses are importing tuna tentions led to good outcomes. Environmen- can regenerate. Oceana predicts that the from Tahiti to feed tourists, whose mon- tal work has shown him otherwise: “Pure- changes in Chile, and those proposed for ey, in turn, sustains the local economy. of-heart incompetence is a very dangerous Easter Island, mean that within five to The proposed restrictions would “help thing,” he asserts. “You are going to create 10 years, “people will be hiking and see- regenerate fish populations over time,” problems for yourself and the world if you ing more fish. More people will be fish- Sharpless says, “and spur an artisanal fish- don’t know what you are doing.” ing off the island,” he adds, “and bringing ing fleet of the Rapa Nui.” The history of Easter Island’s ecologi- a healthy dinner home for their families.” The Rapa Nui are conflicted about ac- cal demise is well known. Even before vnell porter brown

Centennial Medalists The Graduate School of Arts and Sci- ences Centennial Medal, first awarded in 1989 on the occasion of the school’s hun- dredth anniversary, honors alumni who have made notable contributions to so- ciety that emerged from their graduate study at Harvard. It is the highest honor that the Graduate School bestows, and awardees include some of Harvard’s most accomplished alumni. The 2013 recipi- ents, announced at a ceremony on May 29, are: Everett Mendelsohn, Ph.D. ’60, professor of the history of science emeri- tus; biographer and scholar of American literature Arnold Rampersad, Ph.D. ’73, Stanford’s Kimball professor in the hu- manities emeritus; Louise Richardson, Ph.D. ’89, formerly professor of govern- ment and executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard, now principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews; and Sherry Turkle ’69, Ph.D. ’76, professor of the so- cial studies of science and technology at Clockwise from top left: Everett Mendelsohn, Arnold Rampersad, MIT. For more about the honorands, see Louise Richardson, and Sherry Turkle http://harvardmag.com/medalists-13.

66 July - August 2013 Photographs by Martha Stewart Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746