To honor the significant accomplishments of men and women who spent part of their careers at Johns Hopkins, the Society of Scholars was created on the recommendation of former President Milton S. Eisenhower and approved by the university board of trustees on May 1, 1967.

The society — the first of its kind in the nation — inducts former postdoctoral fellows and junior or visiting faculty at Johns Hopkins who have gained marked distinction in their fields of physical, biological, medical, social or engineering sciences or in the humanities and for whom at least five years have elapsed since their last Hopkins affiliation.

The Committee of the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars, whose members are equally distributed among the academic divisions, elects the scholars from the candidates nominated by the academic divisions that have programs for postdoctoral fellows. There are currently 460 members in the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars.

The scholars elected in 2004 will be inducted at a ceremony hosted by Provost Steven Knapp at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, at Evergreen House. At that time, the new members will be presented with a diploma and a medallion on a black and gold ribbon. The induction will be followed by a dinner hosted by President William R. Brody. The new Society of Scholars members will be recognized at Commencement on May 20.

The following gives the names of the inductees, their Johns Hopkins affiliation, their nominator and a short description of their accomplishments at the time of their election to the society.

 

Lukas P. Baumgartner, Lausanne, Switzerland

Lukas P. Baumgartner

At Johns Hopkins: Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1986 to 1988
Nominator: John M. Ferry, professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences

Lukas Baumgartner, known for multidisciplinary work, has developed a new way to apply transport theory to problems associated with mineral crystallization and rock alteration. His findings have been used to understand the development of mountain belts, such as the Alps and the Andes, and the formation of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. He is currently director of the Institute of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Awards recognizing his outstanding achievements include the Paul Niggli Medal of the Swiss Mineralogical Petrological Society and the Mineralogical Society of America Award.

 

Vann Bennett, Durham, N.C.

Vann Bennett

At Johns Hopkins: Assistant professor to full professor, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1981 to 1987
Nominator: Peter Agre, professor, Department of Biological Chemistry

Best known for his discovery and characterization of the ankyrins, Vann Bennett has markedly advanced knowledge of how membrane transport proteins are precisely localized in cell membrane domains. This work has brought Bennett wide recognition as a basic cell biologist and as a pioneer elucidating the molecular basis of human diseases. His work most recently pinpointed the genetic mechanism for an inherited form of cardiac Long QT syndrome, a deadly heart problem that strikes seemingly healthy young people. Bennett is currently the James B. Duke Professor of biology, biochemistry and neuroscience at Duke University Medical Center.

 

Douglas F. Covey, St. Louis, Mo.

Douglas F. Covey

At Johns Hopkins: Postdoctoral fellow in the departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology, 1974 to 1977
Nominator: Philip A. Cole, chair, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences

Douglas Covey has made several significant contributions to the field of pharmacology. By synthesizing one of the first potent and selective aromatase inhibitors for applications in breast cancer, he laid the foundation for the development of a class of clinically valuable therapeutics for the condition. He also has designed and synthesized a variety of steroids that have demonstrated great utility in the functional analysis of interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine glands, as well as the pathways of cell signaling.

 

J. Richard Gaintner, Gainesville, Fla.

J. Richard Gaintner

At Johns Hopkins: Postdoctoral fellow in hematology, Department of Medicine, 1966 to 1967
Nominator: Richard S. Ross, dean emeritus, School of Medicine

Richard Gaintner has been instrumental in the shaping of academic medical centers in this country. Following his departure from the University of Connecticut, he returned to Johns Hopkins, where he strengthened the relationship between the hospital and the School of Medicine. Two years later, he joined Albany Medical College as president and CEO, then moved to Harvard-affiliated Deaconess Hospital in Boston, where he again was president and CEO. After serving for four years as CEO of Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, he went into a brief retirement, returning to the medical field as executive vice president for health sciences at Georgetown. Illness forced him to end his illustrious career in 2002.

 

Pascal J. Goldschmidt, Durham, N.C.

Pascal J. Goldschmidt

At Johns Hopkins: Clinical fellow in Cardiology and research fellow in Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1988 to 1991; assistant professor and associate professor in Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1991 to 1997
Nominator: Myron L. Weisfeldt, chair, Department of Medicine

Pascal Goldschmidt is widely considered one of the nation's leading physician-scientists in the field of cardiovascular medicine. As a researcher, he discovered a now well-recognized platelet receptor polymorphism, a significant factor in heart attacks. He also uncovered several cellular pathways that cause human disease. He served as director of Johns Hopkins' Henry Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Diseases, Thrombosis Center and Bernard Vascular Biology Laboratory. After winning numerous prestigious awards, Goldschmidt was recruited to direct Ohio State University's Heart and Lung Institute. In 2000, he was recruited to head the internationally recognized cardiology program at Duke University. In 2003, he became chairman of the Duke Department of Medicine.

 

David S. Guzick, Rochester, N.Y.

David Guzick

At Johns Hopkins: Intern and resident, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1979 to 1982
Nominator: Harold E. Fox, professor, Gynecology and Obstetrics

A national and international leader in the field of reproductive endocrinology, David Guzick has been recognized as an expert in the epidemiology, pathogenesis and management of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome among infertile women. He is currently both the principal investigator of the K12 Women's Reproductive Health Research Career Center and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He has published more than 100 articles in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, infertility and reproductive endocrinology.

 

Steven A. Leibel, New York City

Steven A. Leibel

At Johns Hopkins: Assistant professor, Radiation Oncology, 1978 to 1980
Nominator: Theodore L. DeWeese, chairman, Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Science

Steven Leibel has been a pioneer in the development and clinical application of new radiation therapy techniques in the treatment of malignant brain tumors, as well as other pioneering clinical treatments. His efforts have transformed the way patients with prostate cancer are managed with radiation. In addition to his research breakthroughs, Leibel has trained some of the best young leaders in the field. His many honors include winning the 2002 Gold Medal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the society's highest award. He is currently chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

 

R. John Leigh, Cleveland, Ohio

John Leigh

At Johns Hopkins: Assistant professor in Neurology, 1979 to 1983; assistant professor in Ophthalmology, 1980 to 1983
Nominator: David S. Zee, professor, Neurology

In the Neurology and Biomedical Engineering departments at Case Western Reserve University, John Leigh has built an outstanding program in the study of eye movements, inquiring deeply into the relationship between vision and balance. He has written the definitive textbook on the neurology of eye movements. Clinical applications of Leigh's research have been published in Neurology, Ophthalmology and the best basic science journals. He holds an endowed chair at Case Western Reserve and was named the Annual Visiting "Brain" Scholar at Imperial College, London, for 2003. His contributions span basic science, clinical science and clinical practice.

 

Sverre O. Lie, Oslo, Norway

Sverre O. Lie

At Johns Hopkins: Visiting scientist, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1971 to 1972
Nominator: Victor A. McKusick, University Professor of Medical Genetics, Institute of Genetic Medicine

Sverre Lie has had a long and distinguished career at the National Hospital of Norway, where he has been in the departments of Pediatrics and Pediatric Research since 1967. He has developed pioneering diagnoses and treatments for pediatric cancer and is the lead author on an 18-year study of the treatment of leukemia in children. In the late 1990s, he oversaw the design and construction of a modern children's hospital in Oslo. His honors include membership in the Norwegian Academy of Science, honorary fellowship in the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health in Great Britain and a knighthood (Order of St. Olav) bestowed by the king of Norway.

 

Nubia Munoz, Lyon, France

Nubia Munoz

At Johns Hopkins: Postgraduate student, School of Public Health, 1968 to 1969
Nominator: Keerti V. Shah, professor, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

Nubia Munoz' work at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and with teams across the world led to establishing the relationship between the human papillomavirus and cervical cancers. This recognition of a viral cause of cervical cancer has led to the development of vaccines that would prevent these infections and that hold promise for the control and possible elimination of this cancer.

 

Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, Baltimore

Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg

At Johns Hopkins: Postdoctoral fellow in Immunology, Department of Biology, 1974 to 1977
Nominator: Michael Edidin, professor, Department of Biology

Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg has achieved a fruitful balance between excellence in research and clarity and quality in teaching. She has made major contributions to the direction of tumor immunology and has developed relevant animal models for translating her research into the clinical area. In addition, she has made a major commitment to teaching and mentoring students in her field. Ostrand-Rosenberg presently holds the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

 

Alan Pestronk, St. Louis, Mo.

Alan Pestronk

At Johns Hopkins: Assistant resident and chief resident, Neurology Department, 1971 to 1974; research and Neuromuscular fellow, 1974 to 1977
Nominator: John Griffin, director and neurologist in chief, Department of Neurology

Alan Pestronk's research involves a wide variety of autoimmune and genetic diseases of nerves and muscles. His findings have led to improved diagnosis as well as treatment of these diseases. At Johns Hopkins, Pestronk collaborated closely with Daniel B. Drachman and John Griffin. He played a key role in elucidating the best understood human autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis. In addition, he studied factors that determined nerve regeneration. His work here shaped the course of his career, which focuses on the immunological basis of neurological disorders. A professor in the departments of Neurology and Pathology at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Pestronk also created the most widely used Internet textbook of Neurology, which is used by more than 2,000 people each day.

 

John Milton Peters, Los Angeles

John M. Peters

At Johns Hopkins: Intern, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1960 to 1961
Nominator: John Groopman, chair, Department of Environmental Health

Since completing his medical internship at Johns Hopkins, John Milton Peters has dedicated nearly 40 years to studying the effects of the environment on respiratory health, from the effects of secondhand smoke to the causes of childhood leukemia. Most recently, he led the Children's Health Study, measuring the impact of air pollution on thousands of children in southern California. The results have led to new regulations for air quality. Peters is director of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.

 

Andrew Weiland, New York City

Andrew J. Weiland

At Johns Hopkins: Resident and chief resident, Orthopaedic Surgery, 1972 to 1975
Nominator: Frank J. Frassica, chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Andrew Weiland is an upper extremity surgeon who has made major contributions in the management of patients with traumatic and reconstructive problems. He is especially known for his work in microvascular surgery, which has significantly improved the care of patients with traumatic amputations and difficult reconstructive problems. He also is a talented educator who has mentored numerous individuals. In addition to clinical and teaching contributions, he has been a superb leader, having made major impacts in many societies, including the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Hand Society.

 

Garen J. Wintemute, Sacramento, Calif.

Garen J. Wintemute

At Johns Hopkins: Postdoctoral student, Department of Health Services Administration (now Health Policy and Management), 1982 to 1983
Nominator: Stephen Teret, professor, Health Policy and Management

Garen Wintemute is recognized as one of the nation's foremost scholars addressing violence as a public health problem. Time magazine named him a Hero in Medicine, and he is the recipient of many awards from professional and academic societies. In addition to being director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, he is a practicing emergency physician and has served as a consultant for the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Red Cross.

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