David Christian (historian)
David Gilbert Christian is an American historian and scholar of Russian history notable for creating and spearheading an interdisciplinary approach known as Big History. He began teaching the first course in 1989 which examined history from the Big Bang to the present using a multidisciplinary approach with assistance from scholars in diverse specializations from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The course frames human history in terms of cosmic, geological, and biological history. He is credited with coining the term Big History and he serves as president of the International Big History Association. Christians bestselling Teaching Company course entitled Big History caught the attention of philanthropist Bill Gates who is personally funding Christians efforts to develop a program to bring the course to high school students worldwide.
Christian was born in Brooklyn, New York, to British and American parents. He grew up in Nigeria, Africa and in England, where he earned his B.A. from Oxford University, an M.A. in Russian history from the University of Western Ontario, and a Ph.D. in 19th century Russian history from Oxford University in 1974.
Source: Wikipedia