Why Watson and Crick didn't acknowledge Rosalind Franklin

• September 5, 2011 5:40am

Watson and Crick, masters of DNA, never acknowledged in their famous papers or 1962 Nobel Prize acceptance speeches the crucial contribution Rosalind Franklin made to their work. Franklin was the X-ray diffraction expert who recorded the crystallographic data which allowed Watson and Crick to build the backbone of their model of DNA as early as March 1953. Tragically, Franklin died of ovarian cancer in 1958, just 37 years old, never having received credit for providing the crystallographic data that helped unlock DNA’s secrets.

Starting September 15, Lynne Elkin, professor emerita biology, explores the details of this fascinating case and what it says about women’s role in the history of science. The lecture is as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) series and will be held over four consecutive Wednesdays from 1:30pm – 3:30pm on the CSUEB Concord campus. Visit the OLLI Web site for more information or to register for the program.

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