Elof Axel Carlson
American geneticist (1931–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elof Axel Carlson (1931 – December 17, 2025) was an American geneticist who was a distinguished teaching professor emeritus at State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as being a historian of science. Carlson earned his B.A. in 1953 from New York University, and his PhD in 1958 in zoology from Indiana University Bloomington[1] under the mentorship of Hermann Joseph Muller. Carlson was a past recipient of the E. Harris Harbison Award for excellence in teaching given by the Danforth Foundation.[2]
Elof Axel Carlson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1931 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | (aged 94) Vancouver, Washington, U.S. |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Genetics |
| Workplaces | Queen's University (Canada) University of California, Los Angeles State University of New York at Stony Brook |
| Hermann Joseph Muller | |
Carlson was a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, San Diego State University, and Tougaloo College.[1] He was also a McMurrin Visiting Professor at the University of Utah.[3] He also taught on several voyages of Semester at Sea.[1]
Carlson died in Vancouver, Washington, on December 17, 2025, at the age of 94.[4]
Bibliography
- The Gene: a Critical History (1989) ISBN 978-0-8138-1406-3
- Genes, Radiation, and Society. The Life and Work of H. J. Muller (Cornell Univ. Press, 1981)
- The Unfit: A history of a bad idea (2001) ISBN 978-0-87969-587-3
- Mendel's Legacy: The origin of classical genetics (2004) ISBN 978-0-87969-675-7
- Times of Triumph, Times of Doubt: Science And the Battle for Public Trust (2006) ISBN 978-0-87969-805-8
- Neither Gods Nor Beasts: How Science is changing who we think we are (2008) ISBN 978-0-87969-786-0[5]
- Mutation: The History of an Idea from Darwin to Genomics (2011) ISBN 978-1-936113-30-9[6]
- The 7 Sexes: Biology of Sex Determination (2013) ISBN 9780253006455 (cl: alk. paper); ISBN 9780253006547 (eb)
- How Scientific Progress Occurs Incrementalism and the Life Sciences (2018) ISBN 9781621822974 (hardcover)
- How to Construct your Intellectual Pedigree A History of Mentoring in Science (2021) ISBN 9789811215827 (hardcover)
- What Is Science A Guide for Those Who Love It, Hate It, or Fear It (2021) ISBN 9789811228711 (hardcover)
Scholarly works co-written
Demerec, M., Kaufmann, B. P., & Carlson, E. A. (1986). Drosophila guide: introduction to the genetics and cytology of Drosophila melanogaster. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institute of Washington.