University of California San Francisco

Faculty Research Lecture Award Basic Science - Past Recipients

History of the Faculty Research Lecture

Early in 1957 the Coordinating Committee and the Research Committee of the San Francisco Division of the Academic Senate took note of the fact that other campuses for some years had included, as part of the Charter Day activities, a lecture by a distinguished member of the faculty.  To extend this procedure to the UCSF campus, Professor Melvin Calvin was invited to deliver a lecture in Toland Hall on the Friday night of Charter Week.  This lecture, which dealt with the topic of photosynthesis, was delivered on March 29, 1957.  Stimulated by the success of this experience, the Committees proposed that the Research Committee

Shall from time to time select for confirmation by the San Francisco
Division a member of that Division who has made a distinguished
record in research, to deliver a lecture upon such topic as he/she may
see fit.  The confirmee is to be designated Faculty Research Lecturer
for the San Francisco Division.

The Committee agreed that it would follow the pattern of the Berkeley Division of keeping the nomination confidential, and that the lecture would be given some time during charter Week.

Originally, an ad hoc committee was appointed to nominate the first Faculty Research Lecturer.  In 1960 the Committee on Research decided to take on this duty itself, until there were enough former Lecturers to set up a small ad hoc committee to assume the responsibility.  In 1961 the Research Committee chair received a letter from a Senate member recommending another member of the faculty for the honor.  This led the Committee on Research to agree to solicit recommendations from department chairs and directors of institutes "in order to avoid the possibility of overlooking any deserving individual."  Such letters would be marked, and considered confidential.  For a few years the Committee kept the nominations on file for consideration the following year.  In 1966 the Committee on Research decided to solicit new nominations each year from the deans, department chairs, directors of institutes, and members of the Senate.

Resources:
All Academic Senate Awards
Academic Senate Posters