Selman a. Waksman tvas born July 2, 1888, in Prihika, a small 

 town in the Ukraine, Russia. His parents were Jacob and Fradia (Lon- 

 don) M'aksman. After f^radiuiting in 1910 from the Fifth Latin School 

 in Odessa, he left for the United States. 



lie entered the College of Agricidture of Rutgers University in 1911 

 and received his bachelor of science degree in 1915. He became a natu- 

 ralized citizen the same year. He then was ajypointed research assistant 

 in soil microbiology at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 and later Research Fellow at the University of California. He obtained 

 a master of science degree from Rutgers University in 1916 and a doctor 

 of philosophy degree from the University of California in 1918. 



The same year. Dr. Waksman received an appointment as Microbiolo- 

 gist at the New Jersey Agricultural E.xperiment Station at New Brunswick, 

 New Jersey, and as lecturer in soil microbiology at Rutgers University. 

 He became associate professor in 1925, and in 1930 was made professor. 

 He nouy is the head of the Microbiology Department of the College of 

 Agriculture and Experiment Statioji at Rutgers University. 



In 1931, he teas invited to organize a division of marine bacteriology 

 at the newly established Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and was 

 appointed marine bacteriologist of that institution. 



He is a member, honoranj member, or fellow of a number of scien- 

 tific societies in this country and abroad (Brazil, France, Germany, India, 

 Mexico, Russia, Sweden). Among the American societies to tchich he be- 

 longs are the Society of American Bacteriologists, of which he is a former 

 president, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Research 

 Council. He won the Nitrate of Soda Nitrogen Research Award in 1929, 

 was president of Commission III on Soil Microbiology of the International 

 Society of Soil Science (1927-1935), and was elected a corresponding 

 member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1937. 



In the summer of 1946. Dr. Waksmax lectured before scientific groups 

 in Europe and was given an honorary degree of doctor of medicine by the 

 University of Liege in Belgium. He holds also honoranj degrees of doctor 

 of sciciwe, awarded to him by Rutgers in 1942 and by Princeton Univer- 

 sitij in 1947, and an honorary degree of doctor of laws from Yeshiva Uni- 

 versity. .Vcti> York, in 194S. 



Dr. \\'aksman's work in his field has been recognized by several scien- 

 tific societies in recent years. He received the Passano Foundation Award 

 in 1947; the Emil Christian Hansen medal and award from the Carlsberg 

 Laboratories in Denmark the same year; the Netv Jersey Agricultural So- 

 ciety medal; the Albert and Man/ Lasker Award by the American Public 

 Health Association, and the Amonj Award by the American Academy of 

 Sciences, all in 194S. 



He has published more than SOD scientific papers, and has written, 

 alone or with others, eight books. Among these are Enzymes (1926), 

 Principles of Soil Microbiolosrv (1927, 1932). The Soil and' the Microbe 

 (1932), Humus (1936, 19oS),' Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Sub- 

 stances (1945. 1947), and The Literatvire on Streptomycin. 1944-1948 

 (I9-IS). Another recent work, edited by Dr. Waksmax, is Streptomycin — 

 Nature and Practical Applications. 



