Health and Human Services Logo

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | National Institutes of Health

Biologics Regulation and ResearchThe People and Work of Buildings 29 & 29A

Photos of Personal Artifacts

Dr. Ruth Kirschstein

Dr. Kirschstein's Book- Anatomy of the Nervous System


Textbook belonging to Dr. Kirschstein

Dr. Ruth Kirschstein attended medical school at Tulane University. This was one of her textbooks from her days in Louisiana. The Anatomy of the Nervous System: Its Development and Function (1947) was written by Stephen Walter Ranson. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's award from Association of Minority Health Professions Schools

A photo of an award with a black plaque on faux wood grain. Presented to Ruth Kirschstein from the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools in 1988

Dr. Ruth Kirschstein was a champion of minorities in the sciences throughout her career. She received this award in 1988 at a ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's Japanese fan

a wooden Japanese fan with mountains, trees, and rivers painted on it

Dr. Ruth Kirschstein collected hand fans. Some were given to her by visitors to the NIH when she was the NIH Deputy Director or the NIH Acting Director. This Japanese fan depicts three men and two horses walking through a mountain pass. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's parking permit

a green and white striped parking pass shaped like a car that belonged to Ruth Kirschstein and allowed her to park at NIH Bethesda campus

There are some people who live on the NIH campus in Public Health Service housing; Dr. Ruth Kirschstein and her husband Dr. Alan Rabson were lucky to have a walking commute to work. In later years, residents had their own parking permits like this one. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's FDA CBER anniversary plaque

a photo of a glass rectangular award celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

This paperweight celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 1902 Biologics Control Act, which established licensing requirements for manufacturers of serums, anti-toxins, vaccines, and other such products. This responsibility fell first to the Hygienic Laboratory (the NIH's precursor), then to the NIH's Division of Biologics Standards, and finally was transferred to the Food and Drug Administration in 1972, where it eventually came under the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. This paperweight was given to Dr. Ruth Kirschstein. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's NASA lapel pin

A brass lapel pin shaped like a NASA rocket that belonged to Ruth Kirschstein

The NIH has worked with NASA on biomedical experiments in space. This lapel pin, which belonged to Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, commemorates the flight of NASA Space Shuttle Columbia, launched on January 16, 2003 for an international scientific research flight. The shuttle was lost during reentry over Texas. The names are those of the lost astronauts: commander Rick Husband; pilot William McCool; mission specialists Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Laurel Clark; and payload specialist Ilan Ramon. Office of NIH History & Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's French medallion

a gold medallion from France that has Constitution du 4 Octobre 1958 written on it

The medal celebrates the adoption of the French constitution in 1958. The designer, Henri Dropsy (1885-1968), was a noted sculptor, engraver, and medalist of bas relief as well as the director of the Paris mint. We don't know if someone gave this to Dr. Ruth Kirschstein as a representative of the NIH or if she obtained it herself. Office of NIH History & Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's FDA Commissioner's Special Citation

a photo of the FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award which is a gold coin with a wooden stand for it

The FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation presented to the Science Board subcommittee on FDA Research, of which Dr. Kirschstein was a member. The Science Board subcommittee’s role was to provide recommendations to the FDA Science Board on appropriate criteria for determining the quality and mission relevance of FDA-sponsored laboratory investigation.  Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Kirschstein's Geraldine P. Woods Award

a photo of a museum display on Dr. Ruth Kirschstein with information about her career, a glass award, a glass vase, and a master's degree hood and robe

A display on Dr. Ruth Kirschstein which features (at right) the glass vase known as the Geraldine P. Woods Award that Dr. Kirschstein received in 2002 at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. She was praised for her leadership, dedication, and commitment to the research training of minorities while at the head of NIGMS and NIH.  Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Dr. Margaret Pittman

Dr. Pittman’s Circa- 1925 Mechanical Pencil

Mechanical pencil mounted on a stand in a display

Dr. Margaret Pittman owned this very early mechanical pencil, likely acquired during her graduate studies at the University of Chicago. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum

Dr. Pittman's reference cards

a photo of handwritten notecards that belonged to Dr. Margaret Pittman and have summaries of scientific papers on them

Dr. Pittman’s Reference Card Files. Her system from her student days through the mid-1970s to keep track of reference papers by subject. Some cards have her summaries of the paper attached. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum

Dr. Pittman's reference cards in rolodex

a rolodex of notecards with handwritten summaries of scientific papers, organized by topic, belonging to Margaret Pittman

Dr. Pittman’s Reference Card Files. Her system from her student days through the mid-1970s to keep track of reference papers by subject. Some cards have her summaries of the paper attached. Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

Return to top