Dr. Kenneth E. Anderson (1914-1995)
Born on December 21, 1914 in Ithaca, New York, Dr. Kenneth E. Anderson was a huge part of the Biology Department at St. Bonaventure. He received his B.S. at Cornell in 1937, his M.S. at New Hampshire University in 1940, and his Ph.D. in bacteriology from Cornell University in 1943. He joined the St. Bonaventure Faculty in 1946 as an Assistant Professor. In 1948, he was named a Professor and also the chairman of the Biology Department; by 1951 he'd implemented a Ph.D. program.
Not only was Dr. Anderson a professor of biology, but he had many other achievements at St. Bonaventure. He was the editor of Science Studies as well as the author of many articles published in it. He served as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences from 1966-1969, then as Dean of Graduate Studies until 1974. In 1976 he founded and became the director of the University's Medical Technology Program, holding that position until he retired in 1980.
His life beyond the St. Bonaventure Campus was also very successful. He was married, with 5 sons and 6 daughters. During the Second World War he was a lieutenant in the Navy. He was a consultant for the South Penn Oil Company. In March of 1972, he was elected president of the Western New York Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. He also found that flood water bacteria cost the petroleum industry a ton of money. He developed a testing method that was used to discover which chemicals would destroy that bacteria.
Dr. Anderson died on December 1, 1995. In addition to his wife and children, he left behind 27 grandchildren. Dr. Anderson's many contributions to the St. Bonaventure Family will never be forgotten.
MEMBERSHIPS IN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society of Microbiologists
American Public Health Association
New York
Who’s Who in the World
Who’s Who in
Who’s Who in Science
*More about Dr. Anderson can be found on his Time Line.*
Dr. Anderson hard at work.
*Information Provided by Dr. Anderson's Daughter: Joan Anderson Cullen
Website created by Greg Shugrue
Spring 2008 Archives Internship (History 495)
Updated & edited by Ellen Winger, Summer 2010.
Last update:28 July 2010