Edwin Broun Fred (March 22, 1887 – January 16, 1981) was an American

bacteriologist A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology— a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically Pathogenic bacteria, pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learnin ...

and academic who was the 15th

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the

University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...

, serving from 1945 to 1958. Born in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, Fred studied at the

Virginia Polytechnic Institute The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...

and the

University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen (, commonly referred to as Georgia Augusta), is a Public university, public research university in the city of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1734 ...

. After briefly teaching at Virginia Polytechnic, Fred took a position with Wisconsin. He was dean of the graduate school from 1934 until 1943, then was dean of the College of Agriculture until 1945. He ascended to the presidency and was known for his response to the postwar growth in admissions. Fred was the president of the

Society of American Bacteriologists The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), originally the Society of American Bacteriologists, is a professional organization for scientists who study viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa as well as other aspects of microbiology. It wa ...

in 1932.

Biography

Edwin Broun Fred was born on March 22, 1887, in

Middleburg, Virginia Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 673 as of the 2010 census. It is the southernmost town along Loudoun County's shared border with Fauquier County. Middleburg is known as the "Nation's Horse ...

. He attended

Randolph-Macon Academy Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA) is a coeducational private boarding school in the U.S. state of Virginia with a military leadership component. R-MA serves students in grades 6-12. The 135-acre (0.55 km2) campus overlooks Front Royal, and is 70 m ...

Front Royal Front Royal is the only incorporated town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was estimated at 15,400 as of 2023. It is the county seat of Warren County. History The entire Shenandoah Valley including the area to beco ...

, then attended the

. He received a bachelor's degree in 1907 and a master of science in 1908. He then studied at the

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, where he received a Ph.D. in

bacteriology Bacteriology is the branch and specialty of biology that studies the Morphology (biology), morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry of bacteria as well as many other aspects related to them. This subdivision of microbiology involves the iden ...

in 1911. Virginia Polytechnic then hired him as an assistant professor, where he taught from 1912 to 1913. Fred was then hired by the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

. He was elected in 1918 a fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...

. His doctoral students include

Ira Baldwin Ira Lawrence Baldwin (August 20, 1895 – August 9, 1999) was the founder and director emeritus of the Wisconsin Academy Foundation. He began teaching bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin in 1927 and a few years later moved into what becam ...

, Elizabeth McCoy, William Bowen Sarles,

Edward Tatum Edward Lawrie Tatum (December 14, 1909 – November 5, 1975) was an American geneticist. He shared half of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1958 with George Beadle for showing that genes control individual steps in metabolism. The o ...

, and Perry William Wilson. In 1934, Fred was named dean of the graduate school at Wisconsin. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he chaired a study of biological warfare sponsored by the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...

. Later, he was a consultant to the

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

For this work, he was awarded the

Medal for Merit The Medal for Merit was the highest civilian decoration of the United States in the gift of the president. Created during World War II, it was awarded by the president of the United States to civilians who "distinguished themselves by exceptiona ...

. He was elected to the United States

in 1931. In 1943, Fred was named dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. Fred was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 1945. That same year, Fred was named president of the university, a position he held for thirteen years. His presidency is noted for the extension centers he develop to handle postwar enrollment increases. Fred married Rosa Helen Parrott on June 21, 1913; they had two children. He was the president of the

in 1932. Fred was vice chair of the

National Science Board The National Science Board (NSB) of the United States establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the framework of applicable national policies set forth by the President of the United States, president and the United ...

and a member of the National Advisory Health Council and the Advisory Board Commission of Educational Exchange. He also served on the board of trustees of the

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT) is a U.S.-based education policy and research center. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress. Among its most not ...

from 1946 to 1958. He died in Madison on January 16, 1981, and was buried at Sharon Cemetery in Middleburg.

Publications

*''Laboratory Manual of Soil Bacteriology'' (1916) *''Textbook of Agricultural Bacteriology'' (1923) * with A. L. Whiting and E. G. Hastings
''Root Nodule Bacteria of Leguminosae''
(November 1926, Research Bulletin 72, Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Wisconsin) *''Laboratory Manual of Microbiology'' (1928) *with

and Elizabeth McCoy: ''Root Nodule Bacteria and Leguminous Plants'' (1932);

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fred Edwin Broun 1887 births 1981 deaths People from Middleburg, Virginia American bacteriologists Leaders of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medal for Merit recipients Virginia Tech alumni University of Göttingen alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty Virginia Tech faculty Scientists from Virginia Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 20th-century American academics Members of the American Philosophical Society