Biochemistry

It's a wonderful life in the neighborhood

JOHN ANDERSON IS RETIRING AFTER 39 YEARS AT THE COLLEGE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

JOHN ANDERSON IS A LITTLE LIKE GEORGE BAILEY AND A LITTLE LIKE FRED ROGERS. LIKE GEORGE BAILEY, HE’S ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE. AND HIS STUDENTS KNOW THAT, LIKE MR. ROGERS, HE LIKES THEM JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

Those qualities make him one of the best-liked
people at CBS. So when he retires at the end of
this year, we will wish him well but also wish, a
little selfishly, that he weren’t leaving.

John arrived at the College of Biological Sciences in October of 1967. Many people don’t know that he came here from Oxford University, where he had studied with Francis Crick, who shared the Nobel Prize with James Watson for determining the structure of DNA.

(He’s not one to brag.)

He was born in Nebraska and grew up on a farm. His father had only an eighth-grade education, but his mother had a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and a master’s degree in humanities from Columbia University.

“That was quite unusual at the time,” he recalls. John’s father died while he was in high school. While helping his mother run the farm, he enrolled at Nebraska State College to study agriculture and became interested in biochemistry. When his mother sold the farm,
John went on to the University of Nebraska and for a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, before the stint at Oxford University.

In his 39 years at the College of Biological Sciences, he has taught biology and biochemistry at all levels, conducted his own research, and provided leadership for General Biology and other programs.

John has won nearly every award the University offers for excellence in teaching, as well as a ”Nobel Prize” from his students. What’s his secret? “It’s understanding where students are on their educational journey so that I can meet them and take them from there,” he says. Two former students, David Bernlohr and Tim Ebner, attest to Anderson’s knack for teaching.

Now department heads, they were advised by Anderson when they were CBS undergraduates.

“John is one of the glories of our university,” says Bernlohr, who is head of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics. “Without his influence, I might not be where I am today.”

“I trusted John and knew that he cared about his students,” says Ebner, who is head of Neuroscience. He tolerated my youthful lack of focus, yet kept me on course to complete my degree on time. He ignored the fact that I had little talent for biochemistry.”

Anderson will miss interaction with faculty and students, particularly the one-on-one meeting with students. “It’s very fulfilling to work with students individually to help them get over barriers. That’s when you really feel like you’ve made a difference,” he says.

His retirement plans include sleeping late, reading books, enjoying long walks, traveling, gardening, and pursuing interests he hasn’t had time for, like becoming better acquainted with Minnesota’s flora. He also plans to teach a freshman seminar called “Science, Politics, and Religion.” Otherwise, he’s just going to see what happens.

“I hear from those who have gone over to the other side that time gets used up there, too,” he says.

—PEGGY RINARD