A E. Wilder Smith studied natural sciences at Oxford, England. He received his first doctorate in physical organic chemistry at Reading University, England in 1941. During World War Il, he joined the research department of ICI in England. After the war, he became Countess of Lisburne memorial Fellow at the University of London. Subsequently, Wilder-Smith was appointed Director of Research for a Swiss pharmaceutical company. Later he was elected to teach chemotherapy and pharmacology at the medical school of the University of Geneva for which position he received his "habilitation" (the senior examination required for professional appointments to European continental universities). At Geneva he earned his second doctorate, followed by a third doctorate from the ETH (a senior university in Switzerland) in Zuerich.
1957-58 Wilder Smith was Visiting Assistant Professor at the Medical Centre of the University of Illinois, 1959-61 Visiting Full Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Bergen Medical School in Norway. After a further two years at the University of Geneva, he was appointed Full Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois Medical Centre. Here he received - in succeeding years - three "Golden Apple" awards for the best course of lectures, together with four senior lecturer awards for the best series of senior-year lectures.
Wilder Smith is also a well known speaker on many other topics. He is author and co-author of over 70 scientific publications and more than 30 books which have been published in some 17 languages. His "Man's Origin, Man's Destiny'' and "The Creation of Life" are Christian classics.
Wilder Smith's last Golden Apple award was inscribed: "He made us not only better scientists, but also better men".