Deember 5, 1973

The Robert A. Welch Foundation
2010 Bank of the Southwest Building
Houston, Texas 77002

Dear Sires,

T am pleased to be able to support the nomination of
Carl Djerassi, Professor of Chemistry here at Stanford, for the
Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry.

I have been privileged te know Professor Djerassi as a colleague
and friend for over 10 years. We have collaborated in a number of
areas, most closely and recently in studies on the uses of computer
programs in new ways to enhance "scientific judgment” in chemical
research,

Dr. Djerassi has had go many successful careers that it is
difficult to believe they are embodied in one man. His work in
industry, first as one of the prime movers of the Syntex Coporation,
and then in the establishment of Zoecon are prototypes of the convergence
of industrial enterprise, scientific depth and acumen, and social utility.
I am sure his career will be an inspiration to young chemists for many
generations to come! I am sure you are well acquainted with Syntex in
view of its estonishing history as an industrial enterprise. You may have
only just heard of Zoecon which promises to introduce dramatic new
approaches in the development of chemical pesticides based on highly
sophisticated knowledge of insect physiology and very careful pre-
judgment and laboratory testing for factors of safety to man and the
human environment. ,

All the foregoing would have been enough to more than satisfy the
aspirations of most men, but Djerassi has also had multiple careers in
academic life as well, any one of which might very well have been prize
worthy -~ for example by the standards of the Nobel Foundation. In fact,

I am rather surprised that he has not already been recognized in Just

that way, but one can see a number of exterior circumstances -~ for example
the political conflicts about the uses of oral contraceptives, and the

fact that any enterprise of that magnitude has necessarily important inputs
from a number of other individuals who would deserve to share recognition
within the framework of that kind of award, This side-comment is by way of
justifying the responsibility of other sources ofpraise, recognition,

and emulation for the inspiration of others.

His work in the organic chemical laboratory has been extraordinarily
productive in several fields, including the elucidation of the structure
of innumerable natural products, the development of the technique of
optical rotatory dispersion, and then again of mass spectrometry for
structural analytical purposes. The evolution of the latter to automated
The Robert A. Welch Foundation ~2 = 12/5/73

computer cuntrol is the arena of our joint efforts eluded to previously.

I realize that this must not play a primary role in your
deliberations but I feel obliggddto comment on Djerassi's atrribute
as a human being, not only in his personal relationships as an
individual but in the zest and energy that he has applied in many
arenas of international public service.

I can think of no one who would be better qualified for recognition
by your award.

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

JL/rr