Villanova University - Belle Air Yearbook (Villanova, PA)

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DEDICATION With the current trend toward more intensive scientific programs in academic life, a great science figure was sought to whom we might dedicate our e le Air. Villanova’s expansion program highli-hts a single name renowned in science circles the world over-Abbot Gregor Mendel. It is to this humble but imaginative Augustinian, biologist and teacher, that we respectfully offer this record. Gregor Mendel’s experiments in plant hybn ra- tion laid the foundation for most of the modern work on heredity and may well be said to have established genetics as a science. He was a monk ater an abbot, in the Augustinian Monastery at Brunn, Austria, the only abbey in the Au- Sustmian order. As a novice he commenced his advocation to botany earned out experiments on strains of a common vegetable in the monastery gardens. From these he -J!”11 .? 6 prec ctahle results of cross-fertilization, iscovery was announced during the proceed- g ° a fairly well-known science society but seems ave attracted little attention and to have been soon orgotten. The Darwinian theory then oc- pie t e center of the scientific stage and Mendel’s °r cnt aU hut unnoticed for one-third of a w , y’ he dramatic re-discovery of Mendel’s an the recognition of its very great im- ..anCf °r an understanding of heredity led im- • iafC Y t0 an ea8er study of other plants and r ma S by others in an effort to determine the S ° aPPhcations of these generalizations. His ma'°r «elusions proved sound, learn talents were varied: he was the r m ? yS'CS’ devoted to teaching, and had in intPUtatl0n be,n extraordinarily successful tinued r - nf IS PUpi s in their work. He con- abbot ,i1S, °r years until he was appointed the ml ,C may bave an excellent thing for ence si aStCry but was a great misfortune for sci- dutics ° k,S time was spent in his multiple uucs as abbot. Her rates his ' I ano ra tbe Mendel Medal commemo- awarded tstanding contribution to science and is advanced th 1 1 t0 a athoIic who has signally significant •’ t 1 ° sc,encc The largest and most standing A U e.Vi,,anova will pay to this out- of a science h8U|d,n,an’ however is the construction • edificeTnlnrnhiSname- It is in this largest Sustinian s °n °Ur camPus that Mendel’s Au- influence Uccessors hope to foster his spirit and ally. lentificaIIy pedagogically, and spiritu-

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THE NINETEEN SIXTY-ONE

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