3 The New York Years (1931–1953)

Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 263
This list of 16 graduate students is increased to 17 by William Coleman who
did his thesis on G. Cuvier in the Department of the History of Science, but
exclusively under Mayr’s guidance. 2 Nearly all of them obtained very respectable
positions at major universities or museums and most published regularly. About
half of them worked on animal behavior, very few on systematics, speciation, and
biogeography, although most studied evolutionary problems. A majority worked
on birds (twelve), two on mammals, one each on fish and insects. This diversity
reflects Mayr’s range of interests and his supervisory style (Lein 2005) encouraging
students to follow their own interests. As mentioned above, two of the graduate
students studying birds stayed with the Mayrs at their farm for several summers
(W.J. Smith and M.R. Lein).
Charles Fleming (1916–1987) in New Zealand was never actually Mayr’s student,butconsideredhimselfassuch.Hisentireworkasanornithologistand
biogeographer was an application of Mayr’s principles to New Zealand birds and
other animals. David Lack (1910–1973) was also influenced by Mayr as far as evolutionary
ideas are concerned. However, bringing ecology into the evolutionary
synthesis was his own contribution. Therefore, Mayr insisted that Lack be invited
to the Princeton Conference in 1947 where he lectured on ecological aspects of
evolution.
Quite a number of people received informal training and advice during prolonged
periods at the Department of Ornithology (AMNH) or, after 1953, at the Museum
of Comparative Zoology (Harvard University). They were either employed by
the museum or on fellowships: Cardine Bogert (mid-1930s), Dean Amadon (late
1930s–early 1940s), Hugh Birckhead (late 1930s), Eleanor Stickney (late 1930s),
Dillon Ripley (early 1940s), Charles Vaurie (early 1940s), Martin Moynihan (mid-
1940s), Biswamoy Biswas (late 1940s), Daniel Marien (late 1940s), Thomas Gilliard
(late 1940s), Kate Jennings (early 1950s), Robert Wolk (early 1950s), A.J. Cain
(early 1950s), Pillai (mid-1950s). Post-docs at Harvard University include Michael
Ghiselin (mid-1960s), Gerd von Wahlert (late 1950s), L. von Salvini-Plawen (early
1970s) and Thomas Junker (mid-1990s).
In later years, Mayr was visiting professor or lecturer at Cornell University,
University of California (at San Diego, Riverside, Davis) and at the Collège de
France in Paris.
Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 3 (1961–1970)
When, at the time that Alfred S. Romer was to retire as director of the MCZ,
Dr.NathanM.Pusey,PresidentofHarvardUniversity,offeredErnstMayrthe
directorship of the museum, he at first declined, because he was so immersed in his
research that he did not want to be bothered with administration. However, in the
end, Pusey simply told him that on July 1, 1961, he would be the new director. Mayr
2 Other students and close associates in the field of the history of science include
R. W. Burkhardt, Jr., F. J. Sulloway, M. Winsor, S. J. Gould, F. B. Churchill, and G. E. Allen.
3 Today the Harvard Museum of Natural History.