Rogers, Everett M. (1931–2004)

Everett M. Rogers was born on March 6, 1931, in Carroll, Iowa. In an academic career spanning 47 years, he wrote 36 books and some 425 journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports. His clear prose has left an indelible mark on our understanding of how innovations (new ideas and practices) diffuse in societies.

Rogers almost skipped college. He wanted to farm. One day in 1948, a high school teacher drove Rogers to Ames, the home of Iowa State University (ISU) where he enrolled in agriculture. Numerous agricultural innovations were being generated at ISU, and its rural sociologists were conducting studies on the diffusion of such innovations as hybrid seed corn and chemical fertilizers. Questions were asked about why some farmers adopted these innovations and some ...