Wright , Sewall

Wright , Sewall
(1889–1988) American statistician and geneticist
Born in Melrose, Massachusetts, Wright graduated from Lombard College in 1911; he gained his master's degree from the University of Illinois the following year and his doctorate from Harvard in 1916. He then worked as senior animal husbandman for the US Department of Agriculture and began his researches into the population genetics of guinea pigs. His first work aimed to find the best combination of inbreeding and crossbreeding to improve stock, this having practical application in livestock breeding. From this he also developed a mathematical theory of evolution.
His name is best known, however, in connection with the process of genetic drift, which is also termed the Sewall Wright effect. He demonstrated that in small isolated populations certain forms of genes may be lost quite randomly, simply because the few individuals possessing them happen not to pass them on. The loss of such characters may lead to the formation of new species without natural selection coming into operation. Wright held professorial positions at the University of Chicago and Edinburgh University and was emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin.

Scientists. . 2011.

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  • Wright, Sewall — born Dec. 21, 1889, Melrose, Mass., U.S. died March 3, 1988, Madison, Wis. U.S. geneticist. He earned his doctorate at Harvard University. His earliest studies included investigation of the effects of inbreeding and crossbreeding on guinea pigs,… …   Universalium

  • Wright, Sewall — (21 dic. 1889, Melrose, Mass., EE.UU.–3 mar. 1988, Madison, Wis.). Genetista estadounidense. Se doctoró en la Universidad de Harvard. Sus primeras investigaciones versaron sobre los efectos de la endogamia y el cruzamiento en los conejillos de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • May Wright Sewall — Born 1844 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Died 1920 Indianapolis, Indiana, United States …   Wikipedia

  • Sewall Wright — Sewall Green Wright (December 21, 1889 – March 3, 1988) was an American geneticist known for his influential work on evolutionary theory and also for his work on path analysis. With R. A. Fisher and J.B.S. Haldane, he was a founder of theoretical …   Wikipedia

  • Sewall — may refer to:* Arthur Sewall * Charles S. Sewall * Harold M. Sewall * Harriet Winslow Sewall * Jonathan Sewall * May Wright Sewall * Richard B. Sewall * Samuel Sewall * Samuel Sewall (congressman) * Sarah Sewall * Stephen Sewall (academic) *… …   Wikipedia

  • Wright — Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Wright, Wilbur * * * (as used in expressions) Forrester, Jay Wright Mills, C(harles) Wright Archibald Lee Wright Thomas Wright Waller Wright, Frances Fanny Wright Wright, Frank Lloyd …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Sewall-Wright-Effekt — Als Gendrift (das niederdeutsche Drift ist verwandt mit dem deutschen treiben) (auch Alleldrift oder Sewall Wright Effekt) bezeichnet man in der Populationsgenetik eine zufällige Veränderung der Genfrequenz innerhalb des Genpools einer Population …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wright — /ruyt/, n. 1. Charles, born 1935, U.S. poet. 2. Frances or Fanny, 1795 1852, U.S. abolitionist and social reformer, born in Scotland. 3. Frank Lloyd, 1867 1959, U.S. architect. 4. James, 1927 80, U.S. poet and translator. 5 …   Universalium

  • wright — /ruyt/, n. a worker, esp. a constructive worker (used chiefly in combination): a wheelwright; a playwright. [bef. 900; ME; OE wryhta, metathetic var. of WYRHTA worker; akin to WORK] * * * (as used in expressions) Forrester Jay Wright Mills… …   Universalium

  • Sewall Wright — Sewall Green Wright (* 21. Dezember 1889 in Melrose (Massachusetts); † 3. März 1988 in Madison (Wisconsin)) war ein amerikanischer Theoretischer Biologe und Genetiker, der zusammen mit Ronald Fisher und J. B. S. Haldane in den 1920er Jahren die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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