William D. McElroy

William David McElroy (22 January 1917 – 17 February 1999) was an American biochemist and academic administrator.

William David McElroy
Fifth Chancellor of the University of California San Diego
In office 1972–1980
Preceded by	Herbert York
Succeeded by	Richard C. Atkinson
3rd Director of the National Science Foundation
In office 1969–1972
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Leland J. Haworth
Succeeded by	Guyford Stever
Personal details
Born	(1917-01-22)22 January 1917 Rogers, Texas, USA
Died	22 February 1999(1999-02-22) (aged 82) San Diego, California, USA
Spouse(s)	Nella Amelia Winch (m.1940) Marlene Anderegg DeLuca (1967–1987†) Olga Robles (1997–1999)
Alma mater	Pasadena Junior College Stanford University Reed College Princeton University
Profession	Biochemistry
Institutions	Johns Hopkins University Office of Naval Research National Institute of Health National Science Foundation University of California San Diego
Awards	Howard N. Potts Medal (1971); American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences
Scientific career
Fields	Biochemistry
Institutions	Johns Hopkins University Office of Naval Research National Institute of Health National Science Foundation University of California San Diego
Thesis	The application of the theory of absolute reaction rates to the action of narcotics (1943)
Doctoral advisor	E. Newton Harvey
Notable students	John Woodland Hastings

Biography

Early years

McElroy was born to William D. McElroy and Ora Shipley in Rogers, Texas. After graduating from McAllen High School in McAllen, Texas in 1935, he attended Pasadena Junior College in California, and went on to Stanford University on a football scholarship where he received his bachelor's degree in 1937. He earned his master's degree in biology at Reed College and his PhD at Princeton University in 1943.

Career

After college, McElroy became a professor at Johns Hopkins University. He initiated an independent research program in bioluminescence, recruiting students to collect fireflies to perform experiments. He discovered the key role that luciferase and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) play in the process.

He began working with the Office of Naval Research and the National Institute of Health in the 1950s, and became a member of the President's Science Advisory Committee to President John F. Kennedy in 1962. He later became the director of the National Science Foundation from 1969 to 1972. He also served as the president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science from 1975 to 1976. He became chancellor of the University of California San Diego from 1972 to 1980.

In collaboration with H. Bentley Glass he edited several symposium volumes, including The chemical basis of heredity, with authors including François Jacob, Erwin Chargaff, Severo Ochoa, Arthur Kornberg, Max Delbrück and Francis Crick. In his review Conrad Waddington wrote as follows:

It deals with the most fundamental problem of analytical biology — the chemical nature and functioning of the basic units on which biological organisms are based. The contributors are ... of the very highest standard ... Workers in the large field of chromosomes, genes, nucleic acids and viruses will find the book essential.

He was awarded the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1971. He was also an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the United States National Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.

In 1981, McElroy became a founding member of the World Cultural Council.

Personal life

McElroy married three times. He was first married to Nella Amelia Winch in 1940 with whom he had four children; Ann, Mary, Thomas and William, Jr. His second marriage was in 1967 to biochemist Marlene Anderegg DeLuca. Their one child is Eric Gene. After being widowed in 1987, he married again in 1997 to Olga Robles who survived him.

Honors

McElroy Ridge in the Victory Mountains of Victoria Land, Antarctica was named after McElroy by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names.

References

• Helinski, Donald R. (March 2005). "Biographical Memoirs: William David McElroy" (PDF). Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 149 (1): 104–106. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
• Hastings, J. Woodland (2004). "William David McElroy". Biographical Memoirs. Vol. 85. National Academy of Sciences. pp. 164–183. OCLC 57734601. Retrieved 2008-11-30.

External links

• William D. McElroy Papers MSS 483. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.