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Department of Medical “ene tics

April 29. 1957

Professor Jamas A. Jenkins
Departasnt of Genetics
University of California
Berl@ley 4, Califoraia

Dear Jim:

Thank you for your nice letter. The election to the Academy was a
prpfound surprise, but not an unpleasant one. But I'm still surprised.

We are a little disappointed that you did not succeed in getting a
simple, or at least the simplest, solution to the problem of Esther's
employment. If there were any prospect that that were still possible,

I would ask gou to pursue it. However, the main essential is that the
President be aware of our insentionag and be in accord with thea by
whatever formalities are most conveniemt to all parties. I hope it is
quite clear that we are not contemplating a stop-gap arrangemnt. Esther
received her Ph.D. nearly seven years ago, and has been pursuing her
research career here without hindrance since then, and I trust will con-

tinue as long as she is competent tod

May I ask just a couple of questions on the proposed abrangem nt.
Would I contiaue to be able to assign research funds from ay own grants
for her salary, regardless of her title? For example, would I include
an iteg like the following on my applications:

"Professional personnel:

Esther UW, Lederberg, Research Associate in (say) Agr. Biochenistry
x, 000. "

If Esther has a title in another department, I assume she will have to
comply with whatever etandards of performance, and compensation, prevail
there, but so long as 1t 1s clear her duties will be research thet ean be
carried out in the Genetics laboratory, I am gure this will cause no dif-
fioulty. We would likes to wait a bit before specifying which department,
assuming there will be free choice between Esther and the respective chairman;
there is an embarrasament of riches, comprising Bacteriology, (7) Botany,

Agr. Biochemistry, Biochemistry and Virus Laboratory, perhaps others, as pos-
sibilities. Or would it be advantageogs to stay within the College?

I'm sorry to have bothered you about the folder. I suspect it's en route
from London, together with a heap of other impedimenta that was left behind
to be mailed.

Yours,
i i

>" Joshue Lederberg