Dr. Rivers Singleton, Jr.

Associate Professor

Contact

Singleton

Office: 233 Wolf Hall

Mailing address:
Department of Biological Sciences
Wolf Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716

Phone: (302) 831-1146
Fax: (302) 831-1033
E-mail: oneton@udel.edu

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Education

B.S.: Trinity University
M.S.: Michigan State University
Ph.D.: University of Kansas
Postdoctoral: Case Western Reserve University
Postdoctoral: NASA - Ames Research Center

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Research Interests

My general research/academic interests are in the various ways that science, especially biology, and society interact with each other. Thus, I am concerned with questions about:

1. the nature and limits of scientific knowledge;
2. the impact of science on society and culture and conversely how society and culture influence science;
3. the ways that scientific disciplines evolve;
4. ethical issues created by the practice of science.

More specifically, I am currently involved in a major study involving the scientific career of the American biochemist, Harland Goff Wood. Wood, who lived from 1907 to 1991, was a major scientific figure of this century and made significant contributions to the discipline of biochemistry. My major goals in this study are to use Wood's research contributions to understand:

1. the forces that influenced the evolution of biochemistry in the United States during the middle decades of the 20th century;
2. different ways that scientists collaborate with each other;
3. various "styles" that individual scientists use in practicing science.

This project is significant for numerous reasons. First, Wood was one of the most important scientists in this century. His graduate work at Iowa State involved fermentation analyses of the propionic acid bacteria. At the end of his career, he was analyzing the structure of and sequencing the genes coding for proteins involved in the fermentation. Thus, his career is almost a perfect reflection of the way biochemistry developed in this country. Of equal importance, however, his life provides an excellent paradigm for the ways that many individuals matured and worked as scientists during a major portion of this century.

Wood's career is also important because it illustrates the manifold roles that scientists serve in society. As chair of the Biochemistry Department at Western Reserve University (WRU) Medical School, Wood helped develop a biochemistry program of international distinction and played a central role in helping to develop and implement the innovative WRU medical curriculum. Like most scientists active in their profession Wood played an important, and influential, role in various scientific societies and as an editor of scientific journals.

Finally, this project is significant because it is impossible to study the work of any scientist in vacuo. Modern scientists work in a community with its own methods, values, and mores. An important aspect of this communal dimension of science is the role that mentoring plays in a scientist's training. In order to understand the maturation of Wood as a scientist, it is essential to understand both the relationship that existed between his mentor, Chester Werkman at Iowa State, and the way that Wood served as mentor for several generations of scientists.

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Teaching

• BISC 498 - Topics
• BISC 631 - Practice of Science

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Selected Publications

Singleton, R. Jr. 2007. "Kalckar, Herman Moritz." In New Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by Noretta Koertge, vol. 4, 71-76. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons.

Singleton, R. Jr. 2007. "Ochoa, Severo." In New Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by Noretta Koertge, vol. 5, 305-12. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons.

Singleton, R. Jr. 2007. "Wood, Harland Goff." In New Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by Noretta Koertge, vol. 7, 345-49. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons.

Singleton, R. Jr. 2000. Transgenic Animals and Biotechnology: An Overview in Encyclopedia of Ethical, Legal and Policy Issues in Biotechnology (T.H. Murray & M.J. Mehlman, Editors), New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Singleton, R. Jr. 2000. R.E. Buchanan: An "Unappreciated" Scientist, Yale J. Biol. & Med. 72:329-339.

Singleton, R. Jr. 2000. From Bacteriology to Biochemistry: Albert Jan Kluyver at Iowa State. J. Hist. of Biol. 33:141-180.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1999. Transgenic Mammals: Science and Ethics in Genetic Engineering and Animal Welfare: Preparing for the 21st Century, J.C. Gonder, E.D. Prentice, & L-M. Russow (editors), Greenbelt, MD: Scientists Center for Animal Welfare.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1997. Harland Goff Wood: An American Biochemist. Comprehensive Biochemistry: History of Biochemistry, Volume 40 (G. Semenza & R. Jaenicke, Editors) Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1997. Heterotrophic CO2-fixation, Mentors, and Students: The Wood-Werkman ReactionS. J. Hist. of Biol 39:91-120.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1995. Is MODERN Biology MOLECULAR Biology? Persp. Biol. & Med. 38:668-672.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1994. Whether Goest Vivisection? Legislative and Regulatory Perspectives. Persp. Biol. & Med. 38:41-57.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1994. Whether Goest Vivisection? Historical and Philosophical Perspectives. Persp. Biol. & Med. 37:576-594.

Donnelley, S., McCarthy, C.R. and Singleton, R. Jr. (Editors). 1994. The Brave New World of Animal Biotechnology. Hastings Center Report (Special Supplement) 24:S4.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1994. Transgenic Organisms, Science, and Society in The Brave New World of Animal Biotechnology. (S. Donnelley, C.R. McCarthy & R. Singleton, Jr., Editors). Hastings Center Report (Special Supplement) 24:S4.

Odom, J.M. and R. Singleton, Jr. (Editors). 1993. Sulfate-reducing Bacteria: Contemporary Perspectives. New York: Springer-Verlag.

Singleton, R. Jr. 1993. Introduction to the Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Sulfate-reducing Bacteria: Contemporary Perspectives. (J.M. Odom & R. Singleton, Jr., Editors). New York: Springer-Verlag.

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