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Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Maxine Singer

Maxine Singer in the P Stree Building Rotunda
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Meet Maxine Singer

Maxine Frank Singer, the ninth and first female president of Carnegie Science, was a visionary molecular biologist whose groundbreaking work on gene structure earned her the National Medal of Science in 1992. As president from 1988 to 2002, she strengthened Carnegie’s mission of independent scientific exploration and led transformative initiatives, including the creation of the Department of Global Ecology. A lifelong advocate for inclusivity, Singer championed education programs that fostered diversity and opened doors for future scientists.

She passed away on July 9, 2024, at her home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 93, leaving an extraordinary legacy in science and leadership.

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Maxine Singer visits Carnegie's former Department of Plant Biology

Carnegie Science's First Female President

During her fourteen years as President of Carnegie Science, Maxine Frank Singer led the institution into a new era of discovery and impact. As the first woman in the role, she oversaw the construction of the Magellan telescopes at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, which have fueled groundbreaking astrophysics research for over 20 years. She also established Carnegie’s first new research department in over 80 years—the Department of Global Ecology—leading the way in studying large-scale environmental challenges.

Singer prioritized education and outreach, creating programs such as the Capital Science Evening lecture series and the Carnegie Academy for Science Education. Her vision and leadership not only strengthened Carnegie Science’s research capacities but also expanded its role as a vital institution for both scientific discovery and education.

Maxine Singer examines data in the lab in 1989. Photograph by Bruce Reedy Photography.

Leading the Way in Genetic Research

After earning her Ph.D. from Yale, Maxine Singer joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1956—a mere three years after the discovery of the DNA double helix.

Her early research, which focused on RNA and DNA synthesis, helped lay the foundation for the decoding of the genetic code in the 1960s. One of her most significant scientific contributions was the discovery of the LINE-1 DNA sequence, which can "jump" within the human genome, causing mutations that may lead to genetic diseases. This breakthrough reshaped our understanding of genetic mobility and its role in evolution and disease. Singer’s scientific work contributed to the development of molecular biology as we know it today, and her legacy continues to influence generations of researchers.

Singer Speakes at Congress About Recombinant DNA

Advocacy for Ethics in Genetics

Maxine Singer was a key figure in creating ethical guidelines for genetic research during a time when public concern was growing. In the early 1970s, as recombinant DNA research and gene splicing gained public attention, Singer became a trusted voice for balancing scientific progress with public safety. Seeing the potential risks of unregulated genetic research, she urged caution in a co-authored letter in Science which ultimately led to 1975 Asilomar Conference. As an organizer of this historic gathering, Singer helped guide discussions among the 150 scientists in attendance, leading to the adoption of voluntary guidelines and safeguards for high-risk experiments. 

Beyond the lab, she was a dedicated advocate for responsible genetic research. Singer engaged with the public at forums, debated critics, and testified before Congress (pictured), helping to build trust and set lasting standards for scientific responsibility. This experience also strengthened her commitment to science education, which she saw as essential for an informed and engaged society.

Maxine Singer talks to First Light students during a fieldtrip to a lab

Science to the People

Throughout her career, Maxine Singer was a dedicated advocate for women and minorities in science. As President of Carnegie Science, she launched several educational outreach initiatives aimed at providing hands-on science experiences to students and teachers in Washington, D.C. Notably, she founded the First Light Saturday science school and the Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE), which have served thousands of D.C. students and teachers. 

Singer continued to work with CASE and other programs, such as Math for America, long after her retirement. Her advocacy work has left a lasting impact on STEM education and inspired future generations of scientists, educators, and policymakers.

Highlighted Works

Shared Memories

Obituaries

Nature in a black circle
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In Her Own Words

I’ve lived through an extraordinary time in biology, and I’ve been a part of it, and there hasn’t been a day when I’ve wanted to do anything else.

World of Ideas | Interview with Bill Moyers Pictured: Maxine Singer in the lab with scientists.
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Schools and universities must find a way to encourage and ease the path for women who are inspired by the great scientific adventure.

Beyond Bias and Barriers | Science Pictured: Maxine Singer circa 1963. Courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.
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Good citizenship and leadership in the coming century will be measured against contributions to education and particularly to science education.

Bathtubs, Coke Cans, and the Culture of Science | Remarks for the 1992 Multicultural World Symposium at Swarthmore College Pictured: Maxine Singer teaches science to D.C.-area middle school students attending the First Light Program.
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[Knowledge of nature] comes from eternal questioning, from dreaming about answers, from wrong turns, from dedicated work.

Dedication of Martin Library of Science Pictured: Carnegie president Maxine Singer with a copy of Genes and Genomes, the textbook she co-authored with Stanford's Paul Berg.
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Today, in the United States, the threat which results from the scientific ignorance of policy-makers must be faced. Genetic engineering is only one area of science in which this ignorance can lead to disastrous results. Education can end this ignorance.

Genetics and the Law | Yale Law and Policy Review Pictured: Maxine Singer at the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA. Courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.
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Behind every life-enhancing new technology of the past is the preceding basic research.

Statement on Basic Scientific Research Pictured: Maxine Singer poses with departmental directors at the Carnegie Science Las Campanas Observatory in November 1999.
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Nothing in the human-made world rivals the complexity and diversity of living things. There are, in nature, concepts that no one has yet imagined.

Inspired Choices | Science Pictured: Maxine Singer in her office at Carnegie Science in 1988, the year she assumed the presidency.
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To learn something one day that nobody ever knew before is something that everyone should have the chance to do.

World of Ideas | Interview with Bill Moyers Pictured: Maxine Singer helps lead a workshop on spectroscopy for students of the First Light program.
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The United States is the leader not because we are smarter or richer than other nations but because we are a freer people. Freedom breeds the optimism that is the most fertile ground for science and for innovation.

Thoughts of a Nonmillenarian | Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Pictured: Maxine Singer listens as Carnegie volcanologist Diana Roman explains the "Quick Deploy Box" developed at Carnegie Science, an innovative tool that dramatically reduces the time it takes to set up seismometers in the field.
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Any urge to run for cover was suppressed by the sheer pleasure of doing science, by the satisfying—if not always happy—struggle to establish a new fact, by the failures and successes in one after another addicting opportunity to test whether "I can do it."

An Unscientific Inheritance Pictured: Maxine Singer stands with her husband Daniel Singer in front of her official portrait at her retirement ceremony in 2005.
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I would just say you go for what you want to do and you don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Or you let them tell you, but then you ignore it.

Advice for Women Pursuing a Career in Science | ASCP Public Service Award interview Pictured: Maxine Singer talks with Carnegie astronomer Vera Rubin at Rubin's National Medal of Science reception at the Broad Branch Road Campus.
Singer works in the lab with scientists
Maxine Singer in the lab with scientists.
Maxine Singer circa 1963
Singer teaches a student at Carnegie's First Light
Carnegie president Maxine Singer with a copy of Genes and Genomes, the textbook she co-authored with Stanford's Paul Berg
Singer at Asilomar Conference
Maxine at Las Campanas
Maxine Singer in her office at Carnegie Institution
First Light Saturday Science Education
Diana Roman explains the quick deploy box to Maxine Singer during the May 2017 Trustees Meeting
Maxine with her portrait and husband
Rubin and Singer
In the above video, Maxine Singer reflects on her career, the impact of the DNA double helix discovery, and her time at Carnegie Science. She advocates for science education reform, proposing fellowship support for aspiring teachers, and emphasizes the need for both thoughtful institutions and charismatic communicators to advance public understanding of science.

Join us in honoring Maxine Singer, President Emerita of Carnegie Science, whose pioneering research and advocacy transformed the scientific community.

Nettie Marie Stevens is shown here looking through a microscope while studying at the Stazione Zoologica in Naples, Italy.

Nettie Marie Stevens is shown here looking through a microscope while studying at the Stazione Zoologica in Naples, Italy, in 1909. In 1904, soon after getting her Ph.D. in biology, Stevens was awarded a grant from Carnegie Science. Her 1905 paper “Studies in Spermatogenesis with Especial Reference to the Accessory Chromosome” produced some of the first work offering cytological evidence demonstrating that the X and Y chromosomes were associated with sex determination. Image Courtesy Bryn Mawr College Special Collections. 
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Nettie Stevens Biography

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