George Wald (1906-97)

Biologist George Wald first came into contact with visual physiology through graduate work with Selig Hecht at Columbia University. After completing graduate work, he studied in Europe with three Nobel laureates, and in 1933 identified vitamin A in the retina. His first academic position was as tutor in biochemical sciences at Harvard, and he was to remain at this institution throughout his academic career. When he retired in 1977, he was Higgins Professor of Biology.