BY MICHAEL S. ESPOSITO

HERSCHEL L. ROMAN, PROFESSOR emeritus and founding chairperson of the Department of Genetics at the University of Washington, made fundamental contributions to studies of the nature of the gene and chromosome behavior in maize during the early phase of his career. Later he led the emergence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, budding yeast, as a premier unicellular organism for study of the basic genetics of eukaryotes. Hersch, as he preferred to be called, was a brilliant researcher, an inspired teacher, and a stalwart colleague of those who shared his love for genetic experimentation and his commitment to the welfare of genetic biology.

An innovator of pace-setting tools for genetic analysis, Hersch was the recipient of numerous distinguished national and international honors in addition to his election to the National Academy of Sciences: Guggenheim fellow, Paris; Fulbright research scholar, Paris; president, Genetics Society of America; American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Gold Medal, Christian Hansen Foundation, Copenhagen; Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal, Genetics Society of America; honorary doctorate, University of Paris; Doctor of Science, honoris causa, University of Missouri-Columbia; and presi-