The McLean Lectures - History
The McLean Lecture series were inaugurated in 1972 by Salih J. Wakil, professor and chair emeritus, in honor of an outstanding Texas family for their generous support of the department. Verna and Marrs McLean shared a philosophy of civic and humanitarian responsibility and a keen commitment to education.
Although they were personally generous and supported many philanthropic causes, they believed that their greatest contribution was to set an example that encouraged others to make equally strong commitments. This tradition has been maintained by their children and grandchildren, as exemplified by the recent endowment of the Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers Professorship, which will support a new faculty member in the department.
On Jan. 24, 2008, the department welcomed Dr. Cynthia J. Kenyon of University of California, San Francisco, for a lecture on the regulatory network that governs aging, and Dr. Leonard P. Guarente of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to illuminate new insight in calorie restriction and longevity. A list of all prior lecturers is provided online, and the most recent program is available for download as a PDF.