80th Anniversary of the Mendel Medal Celebration
in 2008
Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian friar, discovered the celebrated laws of heredity.
In 2008, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences celebrated the 80th anniversary
of the Mendel Medal with a year-long celebration devoted to Mendel’s lasting impact
on scientific discovery and exploration, the concept of sustainability, and an in-depth
look at Mendel himself, the man known widely as the Father of Modern Genetics, a
revolutionary himself, an Augustinian friar, naturalist, and botanist who undertook
experiments in the 19th century that have helped shape the world’s collective understanding
of genes, crossbreeding, and hereditary. He is the namesake of the state-of-the-art
Mendel Science Center on campus, and his legacy remains a vital part of contemporary
study of the natural and physical sciences at the University.
