Hans Rosling — the founder of Gapminder and the visionary Swedish professor of global health, who used data to debunk pervasive development myths — has died at age 68.
Rosling, a physician and epidemiologist, is renowned for advocating for more accurate data about development and employing creative visual aids — from building blocks to graphics — to make that data more compelling. He was a professor of global health at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, before leaving to work full time on Gapminder, the development statistics and education foundation that he ran with his son and daughter-in-law.
Millions watched his online talks and presentations, which brought his ideas to a worldwide audience. Working as an advisor to development leaders, technology companies and politicians including Al Gore, he was recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People globally in 2012.
About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
