PROFILE

Profile of Bruce Alberts: The education president s Bruce Alberts steps down July 1 as one of the most accom- plished and distinguished presi- dents of the National Academy Aof Sciences (NAS), he is singularly fo- cused on education—specifically, teaching his students about real science. He has been brewing an idea for a new science course that he would like to teach to graduate students at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the approach for which is partly inspired by the 3 years he spent in graduate school charging straight into an experimental dead-end. First, Alberts says, he would toss out the traditional classroom lectures and instead hand students a small stack of carefully selected scientific articles. Then he would have them argue among them- selves about which papers are outstanding and, most importantly, which are not. ‘‘We always talk about good papers, but we never talk about the substantial amount of mediocre work that’s done,’’ Bruce Alberts and children of staff of the Academy complex, National Academy of Sciences building, Alberts says. Washington, DC, 1997. Photograph by Jeremiah Burger. Actually, Alberts prefers the term “boring” for papers that fail to rock the foundations of the scientific world and know any better. It was not until much being real. That was quite different from that describe work arguably not worth later that he was able to articulate what just reading about chemistry.’’ doing. He wants to get students and scien- he, and the American educational system, Alberts enjoyed such hands-on tinker- tists talking about what he considers the had been missing. First and foremost, he ing so much that he decided to pursue a critical issue in a scientific career: how a believes that science education should scientist learns where to spend limited career that would use chemistry. Not resemble actual science, where asking time, money, and energy in the most ef- knowing how this science was used in the fective way. ‘‘I think the right type of ‘‘why?’’ and ‘‘how?’’ is more important real world, however, he needed guidance. course could do a lot to help future scien- than memorizing a list of facts. At his high school’s ‘‘Career Night,’’ he perused the program and found only two tists develop the kind of taste and judg- A Stockroom of Reality ment they need to really be successful,’’ speakers who used chemistry in their jobs: he says. Good scientists usually acquire One of Alberts’ fondest early science a chemical engineer and a physician. The this research acumen by osmosis or ‘‘trial memories involves exploring the inside of engineer drew dull pictures of pipes and and error,’’ Alberts says. ‘‘In my case, it a television set. In 1950 at Central School tanks on the blackboard, he says, but the was a lot of error.’’ in a small Chicago suburb (Glencoe, IL), physician spoke about the importance of Nearly 30 years after his graduate his teacher, Mr. Bonhivert, had him stand science for medicine. From this experi- school stumbling blocks, Alberts came to in front of his seventh-grade science class ence, Alberts decided to become a physi- Washington, D.C., to be an ‘‘education and explain how television works to his cian. At that point, he had no idea that a president’’ of the Academy. His impressive classmates. ‘‘Television was quite new, and career as an actual scientist was possible. list of achievements and accolades— I had no idea how it worked, but I had to including eight foreign academy member- be able to explain it,’’ he says. ‘‘This was Ivy League Cooking Classes ships, 14 honorary degrees, and recogni- really exciting, because in order to teach Alberts’ hopes for more explosions and tion ranging from the San Francisco it, you really had to understand it.’’ hands-on experiments were dashed soon Exploratorium to the National Academy Later, in the ninth grade, he recalls after he arrived at Harvard University of Education—reflects his abiding interest grappling with books on spectroscopy in (Cambridge, MA) in 1956. As a pre- in science research and policy as well as the Chicago Public Library for a report in medicine major, he took introductory lec- basic science education. During his 12- chemistry class. Alberts had even more ture courses such as analytical chemistry, year tenure, he has made immense strides fun in his junior-year chemistry class, organic chemistry, biology, and physics. in bringing science education reform to where he had a chance to play with bea- None kept him truly engaged, he says. the classroom. kers instead of slog through textbooks. Instead of self-directed learning, he found However, this path was by no means ‘‘Chemistry was made real because we himself exposed to mind-numbing facts. guaranteed. Alberts almost missed becom- had real chemicals,’’ he says. ‘‘Right in ‘‘Science words are not science,’’ Alberts ing a scientist himself, mostly because his front of everybody were bottles of fuming says. ‘‘I always feel that I want to under- own science education did not expose him hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. to the true scientific culture of questioning The nice thing was that my teacher, Carl and learning. Even as a young professor, Clader, actually had a stockroom with This is a Profile of the president of the National Academy of his own teaching was at times ‘‘pathetic,’’ many reagents, so that we could set off Sciences. he admits, because he simply did not explosions, and we could see chemistry as © 2005 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA

www.pnas.org͞cgi͞doi͞10.1073͞pnas.0504186102 PNAS ͉ June 28, 2005 ͉ vol. 102 ͉ no. 26 ͉ 9109–9111 Downloaded by guest on September 29, 2021 stand things and not just memorize ate in biophysics at Harvard, continuing nobody understood it,’’ he says. ‘‘They had them.’’ work in Doty’s laboratory. just memorized formulas, and the things In his physical chemistry class during After graduating summa cum laude that you memorize and don’t understand his junior year, Alberts was particularly from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in leave you very quickly.’’ So not only were frustrated by the textbooks. ‘‘So I went to biochemical sciences, Alberts began grad- introductory lecture classes boring, Alberts the library and found a big, fat, older uate school in 1960 with what he calls decided, they were also failing in their mis- physical chemistry book,’’ he says of the overly ambitious plans, misled by his early sion to teach students basic concepts. 1,300-page tome written by Samuel Glass- research windfalls. ‘‘I thought science was Yet Alberts was also starting to wonder tone (1). ‘‘It contained a lot of words. trivial,’’ he says. ‘‘It made me way too if teaching concepts was the sole aim of Most of the textbooks in physical chemis- cocky.’’ His ambition led him to embark introductory classes. He saw that many try have relatively few words, and they on solving the genetic code, which was professors, including himself at first he emphasize equations,’’ Alberts says. ‘‘But still undeciphered at that point, and he confesses, had the attitude that their intro- Glasstone was a person who really wanted excitedly designed a series of experiments ductory science classes should weed out people to understand the essence of the with a technique he had proposed in an all but those most likely to become scien- subject, and he wrote beautifully about it. earlier term paper. tists themselves. All other students could And I discovered from his book that I be shuttled out of science classes as could actually get the understanding that quickly as possible, so that they would not I was looking for.’’ Alberts realized that take up valuable space in upper-level Alberts found the companion labora- classes. tory sections to be even more frustrating the college science When Alberts looked around at his and than the assigned textbooks. Laboratory other science departments, he realized assignments consisted of following a set he had experienced that his faculty colleagues were in fact a of instructions, he says, then comparing rather special group, in that they them- answers with a friend, fudging data to was not like actual selves had survived an earlier weeding-out get the right answer, and turning in a process. ‘‘All of us who are professors did pointless notebook. ‘‘Cooking classes,’’ science at all. well with lecture-style teaching and tests,’’ he calls them. In the second half of his he says, ‘‘and so we think that everybody junior year, Alberts took action to im- else should be able to learn well in exactly prove the science education he was get- Not only did the method turn out to be the same way.’’ But Alberts’ experiences cumbersome, it was also completely hope- were instead starting to point to much ting. He petitioned to leave the physical less. The problem, Alberts says, was his more variability in how people learn. chemistry laboratory but was told only overlooking of crucial control experiments ‘‘What I learned as a professor working laboratory research performed that that would have warned him of the meth- closely with many graduate students is spring could substitute. Jacques Fresco, od’s limitations. Alberts regrouped, that there is no such thing as a single his tutor and a postdoctoral fellow in shifted his thesis topic, and resolved never measure of intelligence. You can’t rank Paul Doty’s laboratory, then invited to make the same mistake again. He grad- people and their abilities on a linear scale, Alberts to continue in the same labora- uated with his doctorate in 1965 and spent because different people are good at dif- tory for the summer. Since Alberts’ the following year as a postdoctoral fellow ferent things.’’ girlfriend, Betty—now his wife of 45 at the Institut de Biologie Moleculaire in years—was traveling to Europe that Geneva, Switzerland, where he studied Teaching Experiments summer, Alberts accepted Fresco’s with Alfred Tissie`res and Richard Ep- After promotion to Associate Professor in invitation. stein. In 1966, Alberts joined Princeton 1971 and then Damon Pfeifer Professor of The Changing Fortunes of Real Science University (Princeton, NJ) as an assistant Life Sciences in 1973, Alberts moved to professor in the Department of Chemistry. UCSF in 1976, after 10 years at Princeton. Alberts soon realized that the college He served as American Cancer Society science he had experienced up to then Cultivating and Weeding the Classroom Research Professor, Vice-Chairman, and was not like actual science at all. Working Alberts’ first experience on the other side finally Chairman of the Department of in Doty’s laboratory, in fact, reminded of the lecture podium involved teaching a Biochemistry and Biophysics. Alberts was him of his childhood explorations of the course on the physical chemistry of mac- elected to the NAS in 1981 at the age of television’s inner workings and high romolecules, in 1968. His first assignment 43, cited for his pioneering work on the school chemistry hijinks. In Doty’s labo- for the class, a mix of graduate students protein machines that catalyze DNA repli- ratory, he could learn by asking ques- and advanced undergraduate seniors, cation (5). In 1987, he was surprised to be tions and figuring out the answers on was to read the newly published book asked by the Academy to chair a commit- his own, accompanied by hands-on The Double Helix by James Watson (4). tee on a proposed project to map the experimentation. At the time, members of the media were human genome. The resulting report, The laboratory focused on nucleic seizing on Watson’s account to decry entitled ‘‘Mapping and Sequencing the acids, and Alberts’ project involved deci- scientists for their single-minded pursuit Human Genome’’ (6), secured his reputa- phering how errors in DNA or RNA base of glory and Nobel Prizes. ‘‘I was trying tion as a focused and energetic leader pairing affected the helical structure of to encourage my students to not be able to navigate through politics and con- these polymers. He used knowledge culled turned off by this book by thinking that troversy. He subsequently took on increas- from a study of synthetic RNAs to deter- all scientists wanted was to be famous ingly more responsibility at the Academy, mine how helical structures accommodate and outrace other people.’’ including chairing the Commission on Life such mismatch errors. With the laboratory When Alberts tried to teach his stu- Sciences of the National Research Council group, Alberts published these results in dents physical chemistry, however, he (NRC), the operating arm of the NAS PNAS and Nature (2, 3). Suddenly, medi- grew disappointed in their level of pre- and the National Academy of Engineering cal school did not seem as exciting as pure paredness. ‘‘I found that I had to re-teach (NAE). science to Alberts. He dropped his origi- thermodynamics because, even though Also during this time of juggling admin- nal plans and decided to pursue a doctor- they had had it one or two times, almost istrative and research responsibilities,

9110 ͉ www.pnas.org͞cgi͞doi͞10.1073͞pnas.0504186102 Nuzzo Downloaded by guest on September 29, 2021 Alberts continued to explore more and 1992, with Frank Press’ tenure as presi- he hopes to explore new methods of in- better ways to teach science to students. dent of the Academy nearing an end, the struction, such as interactive minicourses Every year for 17 years, he taught cell NRC began seeking a president who between academic terms. He also plans to biology and biochemistry to more than could help increase the Council’s reputa- help UCSF’s young faculty and postdoc- 100 first-year medical students. When he tion as a force for advocacy and reform in toral fellows become more effective teach- and his colleagues noticed that their stu- science and mathematics education. ers and researchers themselves. This rich dents were studying only to pass the mul- Bruce Alberts was nominated in 1992 juxtaposition of returning to the classroom tiple-choice examinations, they changed and approved as NAS president in 1993. while heading the InterAcademy Council the test to include short essay answers. It He immediately began attending to the highlights Alberts’ commitment to leading was amazing, Alberts says, to see how this National Science Education Standards and teaching science from grassroots to small change caused students to think so (NSES) project, helping to shape its vision global levels. much more deeply about the material. and move the project forward. In 1996, Looking back, Alberts can see the Spurred on by James Watson, who saw the NRC released its long-awaited NSES influences of his own education and a need for reference material written report, a 250-page guide containing rec- teaching experiences on his philosophies clearly and engagingly on molecular and ommendations on the content of science of science education. From his childhood cell biology and biochemistry, Alberts and classes and on science teaching techniques television presentation and chemistry five coauthors published in 1984 what (8). The report emphasizes logic and class explorations, he saw the excitement would become the canonical, influential, hands-on problem solving, collaborative that students can have by teaching and best-selling scientific textbook, Molec- group work, and inquiry-based science. themselves science with wise guidance ular Biology of the Cell, now in its fourth More than 250,000 copies of the report and coaching. Alberts considers himself edition (7). Twenty years later, he would have been distributed nationwide, and the lucky to have accidentally discovered donate a portion of royalties from the voluntary standards detailed in it have real science in Paul Doty’s laboratory, book’s sales to help support the National now been adopted to some extent in before his impatience with traditional Academies’ Christine Mirzayan Science almost every state. classroom lectures and laboratories and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow- Under Alberts’ leadership, the National drove him away from the field com- ship Program, until the NRC could offi- Academies—composed of NAS, NAE, pletely, and he wants to make sure other cially step in. Institute of Medicine, and NRC—helped students enjoy the same opportunity. He In the late 1980s, Alberts watched his usher in other science education initia- saw the power that a good textbook can daughter exhaust herself with 75-hour tives. In 1995, the National Academies hold, and he experienced the conse- work weeks as a science teacher. Sur- established a Center for Science, Mathe- quences of learning too late the value of prised at the paucity of resources some of matics, and Engineering Education forming good scientific questions. her fellow teachers labored with, Alberts (CSMEE), which later merged with the Alberts realizes that people are driven came up with an innovative idea of con- NRC’s Board on Testing and Assessment. strongly by the pleasures of solving prob- necting working scientists with public This merger formed the Center for Edu- lems and feeling competent, not by exter- school science teachers, called the UCSF cation, providing a locus for education nal rewards, and these motivations hold City Science program. Started in 1987, it activities and innovation. The National for brilliant future scientists as well as was later the model for the National Academies tripled their education reports struggling students. ‘‘I think that our edu- Academies’ Project RISE (Regional Initi- under Alberts’ leadership, producing more cation process should stress enabling every atives in Science Education). than 190 publications focused on some kid to realize in middle school that she or Yet for the most part, Alberts tucked aspect of education, from kindergarten he is good at something, and that their away his observations about education in through graduate school. Beginning in job in life is to find out what they’re really the back of his mind. His schedule did not 1997, the National Academies helped good at,’’ he says. The importance of early often afford him the luxury of sitting back establish the nonprofit agency SERP science classes goes beyond the actual sci- to look at the big picture. ‘‘There’s a (Strategic Education Research Partner- ence, Alberts says. ‘‘You’re trying to teach strong tendency for scientists to be worka- ship), which aims to create collaborative a much more basic skill—a strategy for holics,’’ he says. ‘‘I was always behind. We networks of teachers and education dealing with life, basically. You’re not work 100 hours a week, and we don’t feel researchers to decipher what works best trying to teach all students to be research that we have any time left to worry about in our nation’s schools. scientists. You’re trying to teach them the kinds of issues that the Academy deals how to deal with any problem they’re with for the nation. That’s why I think the Back to School going to encounter in a scientific way.’’ Academy is so important, actually. We’re Now that his second and final 6-year term In a world of dizzying scientific a place where people are forced to take a as NAS president is ending, Alberts will progress, a questioning attitude and a skill long view and use their science in new ways.’’ serve the next 4 years as cochair of the for rational problem solving will prove much more valuable than a head full of InterAcademy Council, alongside Yong- scientific facts, according to Alberts. ‘‘All Education for the Nation xiang Lu, president of the Chinese Acad- we know is that there are going to be In 1991, the NRC agreed to a request by emy of Sciences. The InterAcademy much more impressive things coming out a council of state governors to develop a Council brings together the world’s sci- of science and technology than we can set of national science education stan- ence academies to provide advice to imagine today,’’ he says. ‘‘You can’t pre- dards. This first-ever set of science educa- international bodies, such as the United dict what comes out of knowledge.’’ tional standards was aimed for students Nations and the World Bank. Alberts is from kindergarten through high school. In also returning to teaching at UCSF, where Regina Nuzzo, Science Writer

1. Glasstone, S. (1943) A Textbook of Physical Chemistry (D. 4. Watson, J. D. (1968) The Double Helix: A Personal Account of 7. Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. & Van Nostrand, New York). the Discovery of the Structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York). Walter, P. (2002) Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland, 2. Fresco, J. R. & Alberts, B. M. (1960) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 5. Alberts, B. M. (1984) Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. London), 4th Ed. USA 46, 311–321. 49, 1–12. 8. National Research Council (1996) National Science 3. Fresco, J. R., Alberts, B. M. & Doty, P. (1960) Nature 188, 6. National Research Council (1968) Mapping and Sequencing Education Standards (Natl. Acad. Press, Washington, 98–101. the Human Genome (Natl. Acad. Press, Washington, DC). DC).

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