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UNIVERSITY OF CawBRIDGE DEPARTMGNT OF PHYSICS

Telephone RO Unit

Cambridge 54481 Cavendish Laboratory
Free School Lane
Cambridge
May 17; 1958

Dear Joshuz,

it's difficult to think of anyone you would not already have thought of.
Sydney Brenner? Alan Garen? George Streisinger (now almost a biochemist)?

Regarding Ernst Freese, it is amsing to note that nowadays, for a genetics—
biochemistry position, one thinks of a physicist - with good reason, of course.
Freese originally did theory with Heisenberg, and then with Feynnan, but felt he
could accomplish more in biology. Delbriack (in trying to dissuade him - "left
handed seduction") parhaps reinforced his determination to switch. At Cal Tech,
he worked on recombination in neurospore, but decided later that phage was more
favorable,

In the short Sour months he spent at Purdue (on a Damon Runyon Fellowship)
he worked hard on the bromouracil story with good success. He discriminates
well between what is und what is not interesting or important, is able to form-
late clearly what he wants to do, and comes right to grips with the obstacles.
He works well on his own, although perhaps overlooking somewhat the other things
going on around him, Personality-wise, he is wall disciplined and can be very
gracious, but at the same time is also resourceful and tough, with apparently
few illusions.

Characteristically, he has saat himseif to learning genetics and biochenistry.
Because of his late start, he niturally is under some pressure to establish him-
self in his new field, and, with his intelligence and drive, I believe he is very
likely to succeed.

Sincerely,

Seymour Benzer