_&SNDLY FILL IN BOTH COPIES AND RETURN TO: THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 2 East 63rd

Street, New York, N. Y. 10021, ATT: Mrs. Genevieve E. Peterson, BY MAY 15th, 196L

* * * * a 3

Name Joshua Lederberg
Present Address. 716 Alvarado Row

City Stanford - State__California Zip Code
The first year I entered She-Sedence-Sadxs was 1941 at AISL Laboratory

I won the Major/Navy Award in
. (year)
Previous to the above award, I won } ~
(list other awards)
Awards won at competitions other than the Science Fairs are

 

In college, I major(ed) in Zoology and Chemistry

I am presently: Attending College Doing Graduate Work
In Industry . Private Research
Teaching %** Other

Remerks: Professor of Genetics, and Director, Jos. P. Kennedy,Jr., Laboratories

for Molecular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine

 

 

to & & &

How I feel the Science Fairs have helped me and why I feel they should not be

discontinued Actaally I cannot speak about the Science Fairs from my own experi-

ehce, since I was fortunate in an affiliation with the American Institute Science
Laboratory at an earlier stage of its program: namely, an opportunity to work in

a reasonably well-equipped laboratory on a research problem of my own greation. This

was <u exciting experience for me, and for those times, nothing more stimulating could
be imagined. I may say that many secondary school teachers evidently support such
activities with enthusiasm, giving much time and effort to them. That the Science Fairs,
as they are now conducted, generate a great deal of interest in science among high school
students is certain. However, I am really not convinced that they serve any other fun-
ction than this, and for the student of high-school age who really has a firm interest
and inherent capability in science, they may actually be a harmful distraction from
basic studies and a humble approach to the realities of research. The Fairs then
represent a good second-best, and,until a more effective program with more substance

in scientific education and less ballyhoo about its glories can be worked out for

the rare student not adequately tended to now, they do deserve community support.

2