PASADENA (CBS) — Jane Goodall, famous for her research on chimpanzees, was named the grand marshal of the 2013 Tournament of Roses.

Goodall, 78, has been a lifelong advocate for the protection of endangered species. She’s best known for immersing herself into the habitat of chimps in Tanzania’s Gombe National Park to document the personalities of individual chimpanzees and their human-like characteristics.

She gained fame for the close relationship she formed with the chimps she was studying, and was accepted as a member of a particular group of the animals for nearly two years.

In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a nonprofit organization that “empowers people to make a difference for all living things.”

As grand marshal, Goodall will preside over the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game.

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