NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES userHLLeR Wee

{JUN 24 1981

—
Bice OF THe PREDY

       
     

 

OFFICE OF THE HOME SECRETARY
2101 CONSTITUTION AVENUE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20418

NAS 247
(202) 389-6134

June 19, 1981

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
President

Rockefeller University
1230 York Avenue

New York, NY 10021

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

I am writing to ask you to serve as a member of the selection a
committee for the J. Murray Luck Award which is to be presented in
biological sciences at next year's Annual Meeting.

As you know, I have sent out a letter to all Academy members
indicating the awards to be given in 1982 and asking for any
suggestions or nominations they may wish to make. Hopefully, we will
receive some that will be helpful to the committees. Should you be

%& willing to serve on the Luck Committee, I will see that you get any
useful material on previous committee's deliberations which may be
available,

I have set a deadline of September 15 for the receipt of
nominations from the members. The support material provided for the
committees will be distributed on or before October 1. I am asking
that the committees' recommendations be ready by the end of October; it
would be helpful if you could have at least the preliminary material in
by mid-October. This will provide adequate time for us to check back
with the committee to make sure that we have clear documentation in
terms of the citation which is desirable, a statement of the
candidate's work of appropriate length and a selected bibliography.
Your selection will need to go to the Council for approval; this plus
the necessary time to get in touch with the recipient and make the
necessary arrangements does require that we have everything well in
hand by the end of October in time for distribution to the Council by
November 15. You may want to call on Vicki Crawford, NAS 247, and
probably telephone her at (202)389-6134 for assistance which she can
give you. And, don't hesitate to call on me (612/373-9947) if I can be
of any help.

JN 24 198!

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Dr. Lederberg Page 2

Naturally, each Award Committee is free to use whatever means seem
appropriate to search for good candidates in the field of the award.
As far as procedures are concerned, most committees have found it
simplest and most useful to engage in a conference call for discussion,
followed by correspondence, with perhaps a final conference call to
reach a definite conclusion. Other committees follow the pattern of
using first a request for names -— which is promptly pared - and then a
ballot which is followed by a telephone call.

The terms of your appointment to the selection committee are to
serve until the next committee is appointed.

One of the principal functions of the Academy, as you know, is to
recognize outstanding contributions to science. One way we do this is
by electing members; but our Award program fulfills an additional and
important part of this Academy function. Speaking personally, as well
as on behalf of the Academy, I should be grateful if you would be
willing to take part in this activity.

Sincerely yours,
| N.
\

v

Bryce |Crawford, Jr.
Home cretary

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