Dr. Sharp not only helped initiate the continuing revolution in molecular biology, he has also worked hard to teach others about the field.
This fall MIT added biology to the list of core courses MIT undergraduates are required to take, and Professor Sharp "played a pioneering role" in that decision, said Dean of Science Robert J. Birgeneau. "I think it is a tribute to him in his role as an undergraduate educator," said Dr. Birgeneau, who is also the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics.
MIT is believed to be the first university to introduce a biology requirement. Other core subjects include physics, chemistry, and mathematics.
A version of this article appeared in the October 20, 1993 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 38, Number 10).