THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE RIVER CAMPUS STATION ROCHESTER 20, NEW YORK May 3, 1956 BIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES Professor Joshua Lederberg Department of Genetics University of Wisconsin Madison 6, Wisconsin Dear Professor Lederberg: Assistant Professor Arnold Ravin is now under consideration for advancement in rank and award of tenuree Since coming here in 1953, he has played a very significant role in the development of our wholly new and quite unique elementary course in general biology, and his teaching has been excel- lent at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Nevertheless we are required to obtain appraisals from several widely-knowm biologists of the research and scholarship of each candidate for tenure, as well as their judg- ment of the candidate's promise of continuing development in professional stature. May I have the benefit of your help in this matter? Within the next two weeks I must submit a recommendation concerning Assistant Professor Ravin's future at Rochester, and it would be very helpful were you to write me about him with the following questions in mind: 1) Does Dr. Ravin's name automatically come to mind in connection with: any notable and useful idea or interpretation that he has fathered, a specially neat research accomplishment, a consistent record of excellence in his publica- tions? 2) Is Dr. Ravin's research eminence and originality sufficiently notable that you would recommend post-doctoral study with him to one of your better Ph.D. students? Would you judge him to be an attractive prospect for invita- tion to a symposium in microbial genetics or microbiology? 3) Are Dr. Ravin's knowledge, judgment and scholarly accomplishments of such order that you would recommend him as a desirable referee to the editor of one of the better known genetical or microbiological journals? 4) In your judgment does Dr. Ravin promise continued growth in stature in his field? 5) In similar circumstances, would you recommend his appointment to a post with tenure on a staff of your own? Quite naturally your reply will be kept confidential, and will be available only to high administrative and faculty officers who, in the last analysis, must pass judgment on my recommendation. Finally let me say that I appreciate just how difficult the writing of such letters can be, but your evaluation will be of the utmost help to the University. To lighten your task just a bit, I am enclosing a vita as well as a list of the publications by Dr. Ravin that are known to mee Sincerely yours, Conti Cees Kenneth W. Cooper KWC: jp Chairman, Department of Biology Enclosures 1950 1950 1950 1952 1952 1953 1954 1954 1955 1955 1955 1955 1956 Publications of Arnold W. Ravin Tryptophane metabolism in Escherichia coli.e Proceedings New York Chapter Society of American Bacteriologists. January. Genetic and non-genetic variability in citrate utilization by Aerobacter aerogenese Genetics 35: 687. "World of Life: A General Biology" (Review). Science 111: 368. Heritable and non-heritable loss of ability by Aerobacter aerogenes to grow adaptively on single carbon sources. Journal of General Microbiology 6: 2l1i. Studies on a non-heritable physiological modification in Aerobacter aerogenes. Experientia VIII: 108. (with Amos Norman, junior author.) The nature of variations affecting bacterial adaptability, in "Adaptation in Microorganisms". Symposium of the Society for General Microbiology. Cambridge University Press 3: 46, On the frequency of autogenic and allogenic transformations in Pneumococcus.e Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Geneticse Part II, Paper Noe 197. A quantitative study of autogenic and allogenic transformations in Pneumococcus. Experimental Cell Research 7: 58. "Chemical Specificity in Biological Interactions" (Review). Journal of American Chemical Society 77: 234. Factors affecting the non-independent recovery of capsular and streptomycin- resistant transformants in Pneumococcus. Genetics 40: 5916 "Enaymologie” (Review). Journal of American Chemical Society TT: 5T7{0. Infection by viruses and genes. American Scientist 43: 468. The properties of bacterial transforming systems, in "Mutation". Brookhaven Symposia in Biology 8: 33. Vita of Arnold Warren Ravin born: August 15, 1921, New York, N. Y. Degrees: B.S, College of the City of New York, 1942. MeAe, Columbia University in the City of New York, 1948. PheDe, Columbia University in the City of New York, 1951 (Sigma Xi). Appointments: Tutor, Department of Biology, College of the City of New York, 1948-50. Assistant, Department of Zoology, Columbia University, 1950-51. Research Fellow, Laboratoire de Génétique, Université de Paris, 1951-53. Instructor, Department of Biology, The University of Rochester, 1953-54. Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, The University of Rochester, 1954- . Fellowships: Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, National Institute of Health, Columbia University, 1949- 50. Post-Doctoral Fellowship, National Cancer Institute, Université de Paris, 1951-53. Society Memberships: Genetics Society of America Society for General Microbiology (Great Britain) Association for Advancement of Science New York Academy of Sciences Sigma Xi Research Fields: Microbial genetics and adaptation; genetic transformations of bacteria. Courses of Instruction: at the College of the City of New York General Biology General Bacteriology at Columbia University Zooe 101 - Invertebrate Zoology for Graduate Students (laboratory lectures only) at The University of Rochester Bio. 1-2 - General Biology Bioe 243 - Adaptation, Biosynthesis, and Gene Action Bio. 271 - Advanced Topics in Experimental Biology: Infective Heredity in Bacteria Bios 273 - Advanced Laboratory in Experimental Biology: Pneumococcal Transformations Bio. 289,290 - Seminar in Genetics