Jane Goodall and the importance of her life's work.

By Burju Perez

Jane Goodall primatologist, ethologist, activist, conservationist 1934-2025

“When I’m gone I want to make absolutely sure that everything I’ve worked for all my life will be able to carry on, even when I’m gone” Dr. Jane Goodall stated in a 2024 Tonight Show interview …and it all will carry on. 

Dr. Jane Goodall was scheduled to speak at a school on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. That lecture turned into a memorial for her as she passed peacefully in her sleep at the age of 91. 

Jane Goodall fundamentally reshaped the field of primatology. She broke barriers in science. Her amazing, yet unconventional path inspired generations of women to pursue careers in science, conservation, and activism. Dr. Goodall challenged male dominated scientific norms. She removed ego and let her curiosity guide her. Through that lens, she saw that chimps had personalities and described them vividly. She was the first person (in the western world) to observe chimpanzees fashioning and using tools. Until then, scientists thought this behavior was unique to humans. Her patience, fresh perspective, along with her passion for the planet has inspired generations of future scientists. Because of Dr. Goodall, we’ve seen an increase in female representation in the sciences.

In 1960, Jane went to Tanzania to study chimpanzees. By all accounts to scientists at the time, she did it all wrong. When she described the chimps making tools, no one believed her until National Geographic sent a photographer to catalog what she found. It was only after seeing his pictures and film of chimpanzees using tools that people started to believe her. The photographer was also there to capture Jane. While frustrated, she was aware that she would have to use her beauty along with her brain to continue breaking ground in the male dominated world of the sciences. She was a revolutionary in so many ways, especially for someone with no intention of being a scientist because as she stated when she was young “girls didn’t do that”. Now, because of her, girls do that! Now, the world has a different view of animals, the environment, and our place in it. She inspired global environmental advocacy.

Jane Goodall was not scientifically trained, yet she changed the world. In fact, she was the first woman to be accepted into a Ph.D. program at Cambridge without a bachelor's degree. While she lacked scientific training, she was accepted based on the strength of her field research. Dr. Goodall taught us all to trust ourselves and follow our passion.

Her conservation work will be remembered through The Jane Goodall Institute, an organization dedicated to protecting wildlife and the environment, which has chapters in 24 countries, and Roots and shoots, a program dedicated to empowering young people to action in their communities. 

“I want to be remembered for having helped people to understand the true nature of animals, that they do matter as individuals. That they do have a part to play in the scheme of things, and they’re not just objects, they’re beings and they’re part of it”. ~Dr. Jane Goodall