Dear Editor

I am greatly saddened over the passing of Dr. Esther Lederberg.

I was a doctoral student from 1974 to 1978 in the Dept. of Med Micro, as it was known back then. Esther welcomed me into the department and she was a kind and supportive presence during my years of training as a medical scientist.

She took an active role in the professional development of students, especially those of us who focused our research efforts and training in the area of Bacterial Genetics. She was also very concerned about students' personal welfare. She would go out of her way to arrange an occasional afternoon outing to a Chinese restaurant, or helped us celebrate important milestones in our academics such as 'comps' and the final 'dissertation defense'. She even joined us once or twice at 'Zots'.

Esther was a mentor and a good friend. I was able to keep in touch with her at meetings. I've got a photo of us together that was taken in Washington DC.

Given only non-tenured status, I never thought Dr. Lederberg was given the respect that was due her by other faculty, especially since she was and always will be the 'Mother of Bacterial Genetics'. That's how I was introduced to her. Back then and even today women are too often dismissed as scientists. If they want to succeed, they have to come up with their own means of doing science and develop their own support.

Esther rarely complained about her difficulties of not being recognized for her contributions that led to a Nobel Prize for her male colleagues. She took those lemons and made lemonade by launching her Plasmid Reference Center and promoting the development of future Microbiologists.

I hope she will one day be recognized for who she was: a brilliant scientist and a wonderful human being. I shall miss her. She was my friend.

Bonnie M Males, PhD '79
Naches,WA