SUBJECT:

Memorial Herbert Stern 1918-1998

Herbert Stern, a distinguished biologist at the University of California,
San Diego who conducted pioneering work in the field of cell division, died
January 1 from the effects of Alzheimer's disease. He was 79.

Dr.Stern joined UCSD as a professor of biology in 1965 and served as the
department's chair from 1967-1975 and again from 1983-1986. While at UCSD, his
ground-working investigations helped form our current understanding of meiosis,
the process that results in the maturation of gametes, or sex cells. "Among a
group of departmental citizens, Herb embodied the ideal of a scholar-teacher,"
said Stephen M. Hedrick, current chair of UCSD's biology department. "Herb
taught us that we were more than a scientific organization, we were a community
ethically compelled to justly serve students, and to value and respect staff and
temporary lecturers."

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Stern came from a poor family whose
primary language spoken at home was Yiddish. In addition to English, Stern
became fluent in Hebrew. His family treasured education and helped support
their son's undergraduate years at McGill University, where he graduated in
1940.

Before enrolling in graduate school, Stern joined the Royal Canadian Air Force
as a navigator during World War II. Following his military service, Stern
continued his education at McGill, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1945 in plant
genetics, or botany genetics as it was known. During the following three
years, Stern moved to UC Berkeley where he maintained his interest in plant
physiology and genetics. He completed his training in 1948-49 as a lecturer in
Johannesberg, South Africa.

In 1949, Stern began a six-year period at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical
Research in New York City, working in cell biology on the physiology of the
nucleus. It was during this time that he acquired an interest in cell division
that led to his ground-breaking work in the field of meiosis. It was also
during his tenure at Rockefeller that he met his wife, Ruth, a pediatrician.

Dr. Stern migrated back to Canada in 1955, and spent five years as head of
biochemical cytology, research branch, Canada Department of Agriculture in
Ottawa. He returned to the United States again in 1960, where he joined the
faculty of the University of Illinois as a professor of botany. During his
five years in Illinois, Stern began to explore the chemistry of DNA
modification and synthesis associated with cell division.

His research continued to flourish at UCSD, where his studies of lilies led to
fundamental understandings of how meiosis works on the genetic level. Aside
from his tenure as department chair of biology, Stern also served as chair of
the Academic Senate Committee during the 1973-74 academic year. Among his
honors, Stern was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences. He held an honorary Doctor of Sciences
degree from McGill University and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Stern also received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from McGill
University in 1975, and was elected a foreign member of the Royal Danish
Academy of Sciences and Letters in 1976. He delivered numerous honorary
lectures and was the author or co-author of 136 publications. Professor Stern
is survived by his wife, Ruth and four children, H. David Stern, of Sweet
Home, Oregon; David D. Stern, of Ithaca, N.Y.; Jonathan Stern, of Oakland,
Calif.; and Rebecca Huston, of La Jolla. The family requests that remembrances
be made in the form of a donation to the U.C. San Diego Foundation for the
Herbert Stern Graduate Fellowship Endowment Fund #1892, 9500 Gilman Drive,
La Jolla, Calif. 92093-0940. A memorial service will be held on the UCSD campus
at a later date.

Win Cox Assistant Vice Chancellor - University Communications