Detlev Bronk

Detlev Wulf Bronk
Born	August 13, 1897(1897-08-13)[1] New York City[1]
Died	November 17, 1975(1975-11-17) (aged 78)[1] New York City[1]
Fields	Scientist
Institutions	Johns Hopkins University[2] National Academy of Sciences[3] National Science Board[4] University of Pennsylvania[5] Rockefeller University[1] World Academy of Art and Science[6]
Alma mater	Swarthmore College[1] University of Michigan[1]
Notable awards	Franklin Medal (1961)[7] Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964)[1] Public Welfare Medal (1964) National Medal of Science (1968)[8]

Detlev Wulf Bronk (August 13, 1897 – November 17, 1975) was President of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland from 1949 to 1953 and President of the National Academy of Sciences from 1950 to 1962. (prior to that, he was Chairman of the National Research Council) Bronk is credited with reshaping the postwar university environment at Hopkins. While at Hopkins, he unsuccessfully attempted to revive the "Goodnow Plan" but succeeded in acquiring the School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

Career

From 1953-1968 Bronk was president of The Rockefeller University. (The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research was renamed The Rockefeller University in 1965). He firmly espoused academic freedom and resisted attempts by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy to have Johns Hopkins University dismiss Professor Owen Lattimore. The same year he was awarded the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences.^[9] He was credited with formulating the modern theory of the science of biophysics.^[10] Bronk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 14, 1964. He was also a member of the National Aeronautics and Space council. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Brookhaven National Laboratories and a founder and President of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS). He was also an advisory member of the Atomic Energy Commission. He served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public, from 1965-1967. Bronk is quoted as saying:

"A great deal of undergraduate education is built on ... telling a student what to do—at the very time he is developing intellectual habits for life. Too rarely is a student told, 'This is the problem with which we are going to deal. Here are the books.' "

References

Bibliography

• Adrian, L (1976), "Detlev Wulf Bronk, 13 August 1897--17 November 1975.", Biographical memoirs of fellows of the Royal Society. Royal Society (Great Britain) 22: 1–9, doi:10.1098/rsbm.1976.0001, PMID 11615711 
• de Duve, C (1976), "[Notes on the life and work of Detlev Wulf Bronk, honorary foreign member]", Bull. Mem. Acad. R. Med. Belg. 131 (3–4–5): 176–83, PMID 798623 
• LEE, M O (1951), "Detlev W. Bronk, scientist", Science 113 (2928): 143, 1951 Feb 9, doi:10.1126/science.113.2928.143, PMID 14798403 
• Greenberg, D S (1967), "The National Academy of Sciences: profile of an institution (II) (Detlev W. Bronk)", Science 156 (3773): 360–4, 1967 Apr 21, doi:10.1126/science.156.3773.360, PMID 4886535 

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Ohles, Ohles & Ramsay: Biographical Dictionary of Modern American Educators, p.42: Greenwood Press, 1997. ISBN 0-313-29133-0
2. ^ The Johns Hopkins University - Past Presidents
3. ^ National Academy of Sciences: About the NAS: President
4. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=UAwAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6&dq=detlev+bronk&as_brr=1&cd=10#v=onepage&q=Detlev%20Wulf%20Bronk&f=false
5. ^ History of the Penn Comprehensive Neuroscience Center
6. ^ History | World Academy of Art & Science
7. ^ The Franklin Institute Awards
8. ^ U.S. National Science Foundation - The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details
9. ^ "Public Welfare Award". National Academy of Sciences. http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AWARDS_pwm. Retrieved 18 February 2011. 
10. ^ http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=10&article=1009&context=penn_history&type=additional

Further reading

• Brink, Jr (1975). "Detlev Wulf Bronk" (PDF). Memoirs of the National Academy of Science 50: 3–40. http://books.nap.edu/html/biomems/dbronk.pdf. 

External links

• Detlev W. Bronk Records, 1954-1968.

Persondata
Name	Bronk, Detlev Wulf
Alternative names
Short description	scientist
Date of birth	August 13, 1897
Place of birth	New York City
Date of death	November 17, 1975
Place of death	New York City