A SCIENTIST’S LEGACY: THE LIFE AND WORK OF JOHN M. DENNISON

The work of science is not conducted in a vacuum, nor do its practitioners live as isolationists. To the contrary, science is an intrinsically personal and communal venture wherein discovery happens in the context of real life. John M. Dennison fully appreciated this collegial nature of science and ultimately valued its people as much as he did its products. At the same time, he was a scientist’s scientist—a man who embraced the philosophical foundations of his vocation, its historical implications, and the professional commitment necessary to achieve success. In this session, the presenter will discuss Dennison’s perspectives on life and science and how these molded him into the geologist, colleague, and friend admired by so many.