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2008 Senior Physiologists Committee Report
Seven senior physiologists (Charles Tipton, Harvey
Sparks, Julio Cruz, Ronald Freeman, Virendra Mahesh, Vernon Bishop, and
Beverly Bishop) comprise the Senior Physiology Committee. One of the primary
duties of each Committee member is to “develop and maintain liaison with
emeritus members and members about to retire.” This liaison is accomplished
by submitting, on behalf of the Society, a personal 70th, 80th, 90th, or
100th birthday greeting. Thus, each committee member makes about three dozen
mailings in the course of the year. Each greeting includes an invitation for
the senior recipient to inform APS about his current activities, interests
and whereabouts, and requests “words of wisdom” for younger colleagues. The
historical and philosophical commentaries evoked by this invitation provide
the material subsequently published in “Senior Physiologist’s News” in each
The Physiologist. By the end of this year the Senior Physiologist Committee
members will have sent birthday wishes to 84 members reaching age 70, to 90
members reaching age 80, to 29 members reaching age 90, and to five members
reaching the age of 100! From these greetings, 28 response letters have been
received and published in The Physiologist. Responses from recipients of
these birthday greetings are extremely positive and enthusiastic. Whether
retired or still working in their labs, the majority of seniors obviously
retain their passion for science. They express in innumerable ways how
fulfilling they have found life and how important APS has been during their
careers.
Another responsibility of the Senior Physiologists
Committee is to review applications and recommend to Council the annual
awardees of the $500 G. Edgar Folk, Jr., Senior Physiologists Award. This
award is designed to support the scientific activities of a senior member.
Unfortunately, the Committee received no applications in 2007.
More recently the Senior Committee has been charged to
“be alert to senior physiologists who have written autobiographic or
historic accounts of interest to physiologists.” This activity is in
concert with the recently stated goals of the APS Living History of
Physiology.
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