Lectureships and Visiting Professorships

Lectureship And Visiting Professorships

The Herter Lectureship: In November 1902, Dr. and Mrs. Christian A. Herter of New York offered to the Medical Department of the Johns Hopkins University the sum of $25,000 “for the formation of a memorial lectureship designed to promote a more intimate knowledge of the researches of foreign investigators in the realm of medical science.” This gift was accepted by the Trustees of the University on November 3, 1902. According to the present terms of the gift, some eminent worker in the medical sciences is to be asked each year to deliver lectures at the Johns Hopkins University upon a subject with which they have been identified. The selection of a lecturer is to be left to a committee representing the departments of pathology, physiological chemistry, and clinical medicine, and if “in the judgment of the committee it should ultimately appear desirable to open the proposed lectureship to leaders in medical research in this country, there should be no bar to so doing.”

William Sydney Thayer and Susan Read Thayer Lectureship in Clinical Medicine: On May 16, 1927, “a group of admirers of Dr. William Sydney Thayer” donated a fund to the Johns Hopkins University to endow a lectureship to be known as “The William Sydney Thayer and Susan Read Thayer Lectureship in Clinical Medicine”.

According to the terms of the gift, the income of this fund is to be used to defray the expenses of one or more annual lecturers on subjects “in Clinical Medicine, Pediatrics, Neurology, or border line branches.” The selection of the lecturer or lecturers is to be made by a “Committee composed of those who are from time to time occupying the chairs of Professor of Medicine, Pathology, Pediatrics, and Neurology at the Johns Hopkins Medical School.”

Hideyo Noguchi Lectureship: In 1929, Dr. Emanuel Libman of New York generously gave the University $10,000 for the establishment of a lectureship in the History of Medicine. In accordance with Dr. Libman’s desires, the lectureship was named after the distinguished investigator, Hideyo Noguchi.

The Dohme Lectureship: In June 1916, Mrs. Charles E. Dohme of Baltimore generously offered to pay annually the sum of $1,000 to the Trustees of the Johns Hopkins University to make it possible to offer each year a course of lectures in memory of her deceased husband, Charles E. Dohme, a well-known pharmaceutical chemist of Baltimore. The purpose of these lectures was to promote the development of a more intimate relationship between chemistry, pharmacy, and medicine.

The donations made by Mrs. Dohme for this purpose up to the time of her death in December 1937 made it possible to offer, prior to 1938, thirteen courses of lectures by distinguished scientists from either this country or abroad. Upon her death, the University received from her estate a legacy amounting to the sum of $18,500 after the payment of inheritance taxes to be used as an endowment fund, the income of which is to be devoted to the continuation of these lectures.

The lectureship is open to scientists from any part of the world, and the selection of the lecturer is made by a committee representing the departments of pharmacology, chemistry, and medicine.

The Daniel Coit Gilman Lectureship: Through a generous gift from the Avalon Foundation, the School of Medicine has been able to establish a distinguished lectureship designed to further understanding between medical science and the humanities. The lectureship has been named in honor of the first president of The Johns Hopkins University, Daniel Coit Gilman, who was so influential in establishing the graduate character of the School of Medicine. This lectureship was inaugurated in the academic year 1960-61 with the first Gilman Lecture being appropriately given by Dr. Milton Stover Eisenhower, eighth president of the Johns Hopkins University.

The David M. Gould Lectureship in Radiology: In 1962, friends and former associates of Dr. David M. Gould generously created a lectureship in his memory in the field of Radiology. Dr. Gould was a member of the Johns Hopkins faculty from 1947 to 1955. During this time, he left a lasting impression on students and physicians alike for his warm understanding of their daily problems. His unusual skill as a clinical radiologist, teacher, and investigator was admired and respected by all who knew him. At the time of his early death, Dr. Gould was Professor of Radiology at the University of Colorado. The lecturers are selected from scholars distinguished in clinical radiology or related disciplines in accordance with the action of a committee headed by the Chair of the Department of Radiology.

The Lawson Wilkins Lectureship: Through generous gifts from the colleagues, the students, and the friends of Dr. Lawson Wilkins, it has been possible to establish a distinguished lectureship designed to commemorate his great contribution to pediatric endocrinology.

The David Barap Brin Visiting Professorship in Medical Ethics: This visiting professorship, established by his family and friends, honors the memory and reflects the interests of David Barap Brin (1957-1980). The purpose of this visiting professorship is to foster the appreciation and understanding of ethical issues in basic and clinical research and patient care.

The Samuel Novey Lectureship in Psychological Medicine: The family, friends, and colleagues of Dr. Samuel Novey wished to establish a lectureship to honor his contributions as practicing physician, and as a teacher of psychiatry and psychoanalysis.

At the time of his death, Dr. Novey was Director of Training at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital. He had also for many years been actively engaged in teaching and research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Because he held joint appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, it seemed especially appropriate to designate the broad field of psychological medicine as the topic to which the lectures would be addressed.

The Willard Sears Simpkins Lectureship Fund An annual lectureship has been established in memory of Willard Sears Simpkins, a former trustee of the John F. Kennedy Institute. Dr. Frederick L. Richardson, former director of the Institute, was instrumental in assuring this memorial. The lecturers are to be selected from scholars distinguished in clinical or scientific aspects of child development or the related medical sciences. The selection of the lecturers will be left to a committee representing the Department of Pediatrics, Physiology, Neurology, and the Behavioral Sciences.

The Sir Henry Hallett Dale Memorial Lectureship: In 1971, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund generously provided an endowment to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for the establishment of an annual Visiting Professorship of Clinical Pharmacology in honor of the distinguished pharmacologist. The purpose of the lectureship is the promotion of a wider appreciation of the importance of clinical pharmacology and its scientific base.

William F. Rienhoff, Jr. Lectureship: In 1971, a grateful patient announced her intention to endow a lectureship in clinical surgery in honor of Dr. William F. Rienhoff, Jr. Through her generous gifts to the University, the Lectureship was formally established in 1973. The lecturers are to be selected from scholars distinguished in clinical or investigative surgery, and the selection will be made by a committee representing the Section of Surgical Sciences.

The Paul Ehrlich Lectureship: In 1957, Dr. Emanuel Libman of New York generously gave to the School of Medicine a sum of $10,000 for the establishment of a lectureship in honor of Dr. Paul Ehrlich. The lectures under this endowment are given each year by the recipients of the Paul Ehrlich Awards and are presented on Young Investigators’ Day.

The Alan Coopersmith Visiting Professorship: The family, colleagues, and friends of Dr. Alan Coopersmith have established a lectureship (or in special circumstances, a visiting professorship) in his memory in the field of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Coopersmith was a member of the Pediatric House Staff (1971-1973) and a Fellow in Pediatric Hematology from 1973 until the time of his death on December 5, 1974. His concern for patients and their problems and his incisive approach to complex clinical situations demonstrated his excellence as a clinician. Also evident was his desire to explore the unknowns of medicine by developing investigative skills in the laboratory. Lecturers will be chosen from distinguished scholars in clinical and/or research Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.

The William M. Shelley Visiting Professorship: Following the accidental death of Dr. William M. Shelley in 1974, his colleagues, friends, and former students generously created a Visiting Professorship in his memory, formally established in 1977. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and former member of the Pathology house staff, Dr. Shelley served on the Pathology faculty from 1960 to 1970. In recognition of Dr. Shelley’s commitment and contributions to teaching and residency training, the Visiting Professor spends several days with the residents and staff of the Department of Pathology in addition to delivering a formal lecture. The Visiting Professor is chosen from scholars distinguished in diagnostic pathology by a committee representing Pathology, Surgery, and Oncology.

The Philip Bard Lectureship: In 1978, the friends, colleagues, and family of Philip Bard donated funds to the Johns Hopkins University to endow a lectureship to be known as the Philip Bard Lecture in Medical Physiology.

According to the terms of this endowment, the income from the fund is to be used to defray the expenses of one or more annual lectures in Physiology, particularly as related to Medical Science. The selection of the lecturer or lecturers is to be made by a committee of those who are from time to time occupying the chairs of Physiology, Biological Chemistry, Pediatrics, and Medicine.

The John Howland Visiting Professorship: During the 1930’s, the Harriet Lane Board of Managers set aside funds toward a tribute to Dr. John Howland, who, in 1911, succeeded Dr. Clemens Von Pirquet as Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University. He is widely credited with establishing academic pediatrics as it is known today, and with creating the first successful full-time university clinical department in this country. He was a superb clinician, teacher, and clinical investigator, for example, concerning acidosis and diarrhea, and calcium metabolism in tetany and in rickets. The Visiting Professor is to be selected from leading pediatric clinician investigators, recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee of the Department of Pediatrics.

The Henry G. Kunkel Lectureship: The family, friends, and former students of Henry G. Kunkel have endowed a lectureship in immunology commemorating this outstanding immunologist and clinical investigator. Dr. Kunkel, a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, was Professor and Senior Physician at the Rockefeller University. During the course of his career, he made outstanding contributions to immunology, genetics, and clinical medicine. His demonstration that myeloma proteins closely resemble normal immunoglobulins laid the foundation upon which the present knowledge of immunoglobulin structure and led to the recognition of IgM and IgA as separate antibody classes. Dr. Kunkel’s pioneering work in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis contributed in a seminal manner to knowledge of the underlying pathogenesis of these autoimmune diseases.

The Leslie Hellerman Lectureship: The Leslie Hellerman Lectureship was established in 1983 by the Department of Physiological Chemistry (now Department of Biological Chemistry) of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and by the family, friends, and former students of Professor Hellerman (1896-1981) to honor his memory. In 1927, he joined the Department of Physiological Chemistry and formally retired from his productive career in 1961. His pioneering work related to the structure of enzymes, metallo-enzyme function, and the application of mechanistic organic chemistry to explain enzymatic processes.

The Walter E. Dandy Visiting Professorship: Established in 1985, the Walter E. Dandy Visiting Professorship enables outstanding persons to be invited to spend a short period of time at Johns Hopkins reviewing research, meeting with students and faculty, and delivering the Dandy lecture. Among the goals of the professorship is to increase communication between basic and clinical neuroscientists.

Walter E. Dandy was a Hopkins neurosurgeon, whose outstanding research and neurosurgical abilities were summarized by his colleague Warfield Longcope, Professor of Medicine, who wrote that Dandy “had the genius of Lister combined with the brilliant technique of Horsley. He commanded respect and admiration from everyone who came in contact with him, and for those of us who saw him often, these were combined with great affection.”

The Ray A. Kroc and Robert L. Kroc Lectureship: In 1985, The Kroc Foundation endowed a visiting scientist and lectureship. The funds are intended for the advancement of multiple sclerosis and other neurological disease research at Johns Hopkins University. Each year an eminent neuroscientist is invited for a visit of several days to meet informally with colleagues and to present a lecture. The selection of the lecturer is made by a committee chaired by the Director of the Department of Neurology.

The Nicholson J. Eastman Professorship and Lecture: Dr. Nicholson J. Eastman, one of the most influential and important American obstetricians, served for more than 20 years as Obstetrician-in-Chief at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Director of the Department of Obstetrics in The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Eastman was responsible in large part for the scientific development of obstetrics, and his numerous publications probably represent the first efforts to scientifically delineate what we now recognize as maternal fetal medicine. On behalf of his former students, residents, and friends, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is happy to perpetuate his contributions to obstetrics and gynecology through the Nicholson J. Eastman Professorship and Lecture.

The Israel Zeligman Lectureship in Dermatology: The Israel Zeligman Lectureship in Dermatology was established in 1983 to honor the contributions of Israel Zeligman, M.D., who had been on the faculty of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine since 1946. He had been responsible for the teaching of all the residents that had passed through the Department of Dermatology Residency Program at that time. Dr. Zeligman was highly respected in the private practice of Dermatology, and was one who gave freely of his time to promote the clinical training program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The Lectureship is supported by revenues generated by donations from former residents and friends.

The Vernon B. Mountcastle Lectureship: Upon the retirement of Vernon Mountcastle from the Hopkins’ faculty in 1992, his friends and colleagues contributed funds to establish a lectureship in his name. The lectureship honors the major contributions of Dr. Mountcastle to neuroscience and to Johns Hopkins University. Each year a world-class researcher is invited to the Medical School to lecture on an area relevant to the neurosciences.

The Albert Lester Lehninger Memorial Lectureship: In 1989, family, friends, and former associates of Dr. Albert L. Lehninger established a lectureship in his memory in the field of biochemistry. Dr. Lehninger served as Professor and DeLamar Professor of the Department of Biological Chemistry from 1952 to 1978. He was then appointed University Professor of Medical Science, a position created to honor his distinguished service to the University, his scientific discoveries, and his teaching and writing achievements. He served in this position until his death in 1986. This Lectureship was inaugurated in 1990.

The Dean’s Lecture Series: This series of lectures is designed to bring the work of senior members of the faculty to the attention of the Johns Hopkins community.

The Mary Elizabeth Garrett Lectureship: In 1996, the Women’s Leadership Council in cooperation with the Dean’s Office inaugurated the Mary Elizabeth Garrett Lectureship. The lectureship honors Ms. Garrett, who, in 1890, provided the final funding necessary to open The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with the provision that women be admitted under the same terms as prescribed for men.

The Ira and Jean Belfer Lectureship: The Belfer Lectureship was established in 1992 by Dr. and Mrs. Myron Belfer in honor of his parents, Ira and Jean Belfer. Dr. and Mrs. Belfer created the Ira and Jean Belfer Lectureship to allow leaders in the field of pediatric and adult cardiology to come to Johns Hopkins to share their most recent discoveries.

Ira and Jean Belfer established the Peter Belfer Laboratories at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in 1973 in memory of their youngest son, Peter, who was a patient at Hopkins from the age of 6 months until his death from heart disease in 1991 at the age of 25. Since that time, the Belfer family and their friends have displayed unflagging interest and continued generosity in the support of Belfer Laboratories.

The Professor Carol J. Johns Memorial Lecture in Lung Health and Disease: This lecture was established within the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine following the death of Dr. Johns on February 24, 2000.

This lectureship attests to the esteem in which she was held by the division as well as her commitment to excellence, the humanistic missions of the clinicians, and the contribution of women to medicine.