On The Brain

Winter 1997 Volume 6, Number 1

Tribute for Wallace and the Dean

The Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute's October 23 forum was notable on two other counts:

Mike Wallace and Daniel Tosteson
Each year, the Institute presents the David Mahoney Award to an individual who has made a major contribution to public education about the brain. This year, the Award was presented to Mike Wallace, the celebrated journalist and co-editor of CBS News's 60 Minutes, for his educational efforts on behalf of depression, offering his own struggle with it as hope for sufferers.

Also at these Dialogues the audience learned that Daniel Tosteson will retire as Dean of the Harvard Medical School this year.

Mahoney led the tributes to both men, saying in part:

"It really is a thrill to me and Harvard to be honoring Mike Wallace. I don't have to tell you about his boundless energy and his education of people and telling them about a problem he had -- depression. He is much in the mold of our honoree last year, who was Ronald Reagan.

"When Ronald Reagan came out and said, `I have this and this is what I'm doing,' as Mike has done for us, I can't tell you what impression that has on people. To see eminent people come forward like this can give hope.

"So, Mike, you honor us...

"Another man I'm so proud of is Dr. Dan Tosteson. I have said for years that when the history of educating our doctors will have been written, the leader is going to be Dr. Dan Tosteson. He virtually revamped the medical education system. And that's considered to be so by all of his friends and colleagues.

"Aside from that, he is a scientist on his own and a very good one. He gets degrees and awards like most of us get third class mail. And rightfully. He has earned them..."