Donald Kennedy would probably be amused by an old friend's tribute (颂词) to him as "very close to being a Renaissance man."
It's hard to argue with the facts. The 8 years he served as editor-in-chief of Science was only the final chapter in a long and very exceptional career. He spent most of it at Stanford University, including 12 years as its president, interrupted by a 2-year head of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration under former President Jimmy Carter. But the Harvard University-trained neurobiologist wore those and other honors lightly, driven by a greedy curiosity about the world and a wish to help make it a better place.
Kennedy, who died on 21 April of COVID-19 at age 88, enjoyed his role as a scientist, educator, public servant, and communicator, recalls Tom Grumbly, who was his assistant at FDA. "A brilliant, funny, very special person," says Grumbly, who leads a foundation that claims increased support for agricultural research. "He could talk on any level to people about science, without placing himself above them. And he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the best scientists in the world."
The combination of a towering intellect and a genuine concern for the individual served Kennedy well at Science. "He was a wonderful partner at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)," says Alan Leshner, a former longtime chief executive at AAAS, which publishes Science. "He contributed his wisdom about science and public policy to our efforts on behalf of the community."
As editor from 2000 to 2008, Kennedy led the journal through some high-profile (备受瞩目) controversies and quickly produced editorials (社论) on all matters affecting its readers. And it wasn't his nature to step backward.
In that 2008 editorial, Kennedy offered advice to Alberts, his successor, on editing a scientific journal. But it could also stand as an epitaph (墓志铭) on his long career in the public stage.
"Be as fair as you can, sympathize with anger, confess institutional error when appropriate, and be firm," Kennedy wrote. "And when the disappointed complain to members of the AAAS Board, remember to smile!"
