November 28, 1951.

Miss Helen L. Byera
Univ. Apts. E304
1603 B. 3 St.
Bloomington, Indiana

Dear Miss Byers:

Your letter of November 24 raised some questions about research
assistantships here. Firstly, the question of your major does not have
to be settled until after you have been here some time, and are ready
to be "certified" in your candidacy for the Ph.D. You should apply
for an assistan&ship in the department or departments in which you
might best do your research. Your application for admittagce to the
Graduate School should be deferred until you have been notified about
the assistantship awards.

The current stipend for 1/2-time research assistantships is $110
per month, on a 10- or a 12-month basis. Work done under these appoing~
ments is not barred in any way from application to theses, nor is there
any limitation on academic residence. The nature of the work varies
greatly, especially with the experience and qualifications of the appointee,
but also with the needs of the research program from which the funds
are administered. A mature student generally spends all of his time on
his own research.

In addition to research assistantships, teaching appointments, of
various types are available in Zoology and in Genetics. If you would be
interested in these, I suggest you write Professor James F. Crow.

I should emphasize that there are no procedural difficulties attached
to a formal major in one department, and research in another. These arrange-
ments all have to be worked out individually.

An interview would not be obligatory, at least on our part. However,
a visit would enable gou to gain a clearer picture of the opportunities
here, and the kind of work going on in various departments. For my part,
the intersemester period the last week in January and the first in Febru-
ary would be the least committed, but you are welcome to call at any time.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
Associate Professor of Genetics