Maxine Singer

Maxine Singer’s achievements in science are newsworthy, but she has eluded the public eye. A pioneering molecular biologist, Singer has also been in the forefront of crafting ethical and safety guidelines for genetic engineering and is a staunch public advocate for science. She began her career at the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases in 1958 and moved to the National Cancer Institute in 1974, where she was recognized for her research in recombinant DNA. She led the Carnegie Institution from 1988 to 2002, earning the National Medal of Science in 1992. Singer is renowned not only for her research but also for promoting science education in public schools and equal access for women and minorities in scientific fields.

Commissioned by the Carnegie Institution to make a painted portrait of Singer, artist Jon Friedman worked closely with her during the photo shoot. Capturing in this sketch the immediacy of a moment, he implies the impact of her intense focus.