Gene Brown (professor)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Gene M. Brown
Born1926
Pioneer, Missouri
Died4 August 2017 (aged 91)
NationalityAmerican
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemistry
InstitutionsMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Gene Monte Brown (1926 – 4 August 2017)

Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined the department in 1954 and served as its head from 1977 to 1985. He served as the dean of science at MIT from 1985 to 1991. He is notable for his interest in and commitment to undergraduate education, and taught the department's biochemistry course for over 50 years.[2][3]

Early life and education

Brown was born in Pioneer, Missouri, and raised in nearby Cassville until around age nine, when his family moved to Idaho. He was the first member of his family to attend high school and the only member of his graduating high school class to attend college. After a year as a college student in Idaho, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he was assigned to work in chemical warfare operations. His tasks included teaching safety lessons, which he later described as "whetting [his] teaching interest" for his later activities as an educator.[3]

Brown used the

postdoctoral fellow with Snell in Texas.[3]

Academic career

Brown was offered a faculty position at MIT by

full professor. He served as the associate head of the department from 1967 to 1977 and as the head from 1977 to 1985,[2] succeeding Boris Magasanik.[5] Under his leadership, funding was obtained and plans were made for the launch of MIT's Whitehead Institute.[6]

In 1985 Brown became the dean of science at MIT. During his tenure as dean, he worked on curricular issues, including the development of a communication requirement to be incorporated into the undergraduate program

research misconduct against then-MIT faculty members David Baltimore and Thereza Imanishi-Kari.[3][7]: 84–5  (They were eventually cleared of misconduct.[7]: 12 ) Brown closed his research laboratory during his service as dean, citing time pressure; after he resigned in 1991, he moved to spending his time on teaching and administrative work in the department.[3] Brown became a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999.[4]

Teaching

Brown is notable for his longevity as an educator, having started teaching the department's undergraduate biochemistry class when he arrived in 1954. In 2004 he was honored for teaching it continuously for 50 years.

undergraduate research.[4] In 1994 Brown was one of four MIT professors named that year as MacVicar Fellows, which provided support for faculty interested in developing improvements to undergraduate education.[8]

MIT gives two teaching awards named after Brown: the Gene Brown Prize, which recognizes academic and teaching excellence among undergraduates,[9] and the Gene Brown-Merck Teaching Award, which recognizes excellence in teaching among graduate students.[10]

Research

Brown's research interests focused on

folic acid and related pteridine compounds, and later described this work as the research he was most proud of.[3]

Personal life

While working in Texas with Snell, Brown met a faculty member there who taught music theory.[3] On the second date they had they decided to get married and they did on June 15, known as Flag Day.

References

  1. ^ Gene Brown, professor emeritus of biology, dies at 91
  2. ^ a b c d Waugh, Alice C. (19 May 2004). "Brown reaches half-century teaching mark". MIT News. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Gene M. Brown". MIT Infinite History. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Gene M. Brown". MIT Department of Biology. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  5. PMID 7826001
    .
  6. ^ Hilts, Philip J. (2 October 1981). "Gene Research Institute, MIT Arrangement Set". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9780393319705
    .
  8. ^ Di Iorio, Robert C. (9 February 1994). "Four more named MacVicar Fellows". MIT News. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  9. ^ "The Gene Brown Prize". MIT Department of Biology. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  10. ^ "The Gene Brown – Merck Teaching Award". MIT Department of Biology. Retrieved 1 August 2016.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Brown_(professor)&oldid=1176783650"