# Joseph Terwilliger

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{{Short description|American geneticist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| name              = Joseph Terwilliger
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| image             = Joseph Terwilliger in the Korean DMZ (2009-08-26).tif
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| caption           = Terwilliger at the [Korean Demilitarized Zone](/source/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone), 2009
| birth_name        = Joseph Douglas Terwilliger
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| birth_place       = [New York, New York](/source/New_York%2C_New_York)
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| fields            = [Genetics](/source/Genetics)
| workplaces        = [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University)<br>[New York State Psychiatric Institute](/source/New_York_State_Psychiatric_Institute)
| patrons           = 
| education         = [Peabody Conservatory of Music](/source/Peabody_Conservatory_of_Music),<br>[Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences](/source/Columbia_University_Graduate_School_of_Arts_and_Sciences), <br>[University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford)
| alma_mater        = 
| thesis_title      = New mathematical methods in human gene mapping
| thesis_url        = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/35052578_New_mathematical_methods_in_human_gene_mapping
| thesis_year       = 1993
| doctoral_advisor  = [Jurg Ott](/source/Jurg_Ott)
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| known_for         = [Statistical genetics](/source/Statistical_genetics)
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| awards            = Hitchings-Elion Fellowship from the [Burroughs Wellcome Fund](/source/Burroughs_Wellcome_Fund)
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'''Joseph Douglas Terwilliger''' is an American geneticist and professor of [neurobiology](/source/neurobiology) at the [Columbia University Medical Center](/source/Columbia_University_Medical_Center) and the [New York State Psychiatric Institute](/source/New_York_State_Psychiatric_Institute). In addition to his scientific research, he is known for accompanying retired [basketball](/source/basketball) player [Dennis Rodman](/source/Dennis_Rodman) on his visits to [North Korea](/source/North_Korea),<ref name=science/> where he has said that he serves as Rodman's translator.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/13/532740776/dennis-rodman-says-hes-on-mission-to-north-korea |title=Dennis Rodman Says He's On A 'Mission' In New Visit To North Korea |last=Chappell |first=Bill |date=2017-06-13 |website=[NPR](/source/NPR) |language=en |access-date=2018-08-22}}</ref> He began his involvement in Rodman's trips to the country after winning a basketball game with him at an auction.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/world/kim-jong-un-meet-the-nhl/ |title=The Canadian behind Dennis Rodman's travels in North Korea |date=2013-12-01 |website=[Maclean's](/source/Maclean's) |language=en-US |access-date=2018-08-21}}</ref>

==Education and career==
A [tuba](/source/tuba) player, Terwilliger received his bachelor's degree from the [Peabody Conservatory of Music](/source/Peabody_Conservatory_of_Music).<ref name=science>{{Cite web |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/road-tripping-rodman |title=Road-Tripping With Rodman |last=Stone |first=Richard |date=2014-01-18 |website=[Science Insider](/source/Science_Insider) |language=en |access-date=2018-08-21}}</ref> After receiving his bachelor's, Terwilliger moved to [New York City](/source/New_York_City) to look for a job in music, but later found himself drawn to a graduate school program in genetics and development <ref name=flaunt>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flaunt.com/content/art/sciences-column |title=Column: Sciences - She Blinded Me With Artwork |last=Didorenko |first=Svetlana |date=2013-12-15 |website=Flaunt |language=en |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> at [Columbia University Medical Center](/source/Columbia_University_Medical_Center). He later recalled, "I could not believe they were actually going to pay me to go to grad school. In music you have to teach classes just to pay your tuition, and then you have to get a job to pay the rent. While in science they actually were going to pay me, which seemed like an unbelievable scam at the time."<ref name=bwfund>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bwfund.org/newsroom/awardee-profiles/awardee-profile-joseph-d-terwilliger |title=Awardee Profile - Joseph D. Terwilliger |date=2008 |website=[Burroughs Wellcome Fund](/source/Burroughs_Wellcome_Fund) |language=en |access-date=2018-08-22 |archive-date=2018-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822050214/https://www.bwfund.org/newsroom/awardee-profiles/awardee-profile-joseph-d-terwilliger |url-status=dead }}</ref> He decided to enroll in a graduate program at Columbia in genetics because he felt that, since he had been a music major, the alternative would probably be working at [McDonald's](/source/McDonald's); he later discovered he had a natural interest in [statistical genetics](/source/statistical_genetics).<ref name=bwfund/> He went on to receive his Ph.D. from the [Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences](/source/Columbia_University_Graduate_School_of_Arts_and_Sciences) in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.genetics.cumc.columbia.edu/profile/joseph-terwilliger-phd#credentials-experience |title=Joseph Terwilliger, PhD |date=2017-10-05 |website=Department of Genetics and Development |publisher=[Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) |language=en |access-date=2018-08-21}}</ref> He then received a Hitchings-Elion Fellowship from the [Burroughs Wellcome Fund](/source/Burroughs_Wellcome_Fund), which he spent working with [Mark Lathrop](/source/Mark_Lathrop) at the [Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics](/source/Wellcome_Centre_for_Human_Genetics) at the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford).<ref name=bwfund/> In July 2013, he began teaching a human evolutionary genetics class at [Pyongyang University of Science and Technology](/source/Pyongyang_University_of_Science_and_Technology) (PUST) in North Korea.<ref name=science/> He still teaches at PUST as of October 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Civic-exchange-with-North-Korea-is-key-Rodman-companion-says/6941509310097/ |title=Civic exchange with North Korea is key, Rodman companion says |last=Shim |first=Elizabeth |date=2017-10-30 |website=[UPI](/source/United_Press_International) |language=en |access-date=2018-08-22}}</ref>  He has an [Erdős–Bacon number](/source/Erd%C5%91s%E2%80%93Bacon_number) of 6, having appeared in [Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang](/source/Dennis_Rodman's_Big_Bang_in_Pyongyang).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/slamdance-film-review-dennis-rodmans-big-bang-in-pyongyang-1201414927/|title=Slamdance Film Review: 'Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang'|last=Leydon|first=Joe|date=2015-01-26|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-26}}</ref> He also sang additional vocals on the 2020 album [Killection](/source/Killection) by Finnish heavy metal band [Lordi](/source/Lordi).<ref name=booklet>(2020). "''Killection'' liner notes." In ''Killection'' [CD booklet]. AFM.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.genetics.cumc.columbia.edu/profile/joseph-terwilliger-phd Faculty page]
*{{Google Scholar id|3Dw_GVEAAAAJ}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Terwilliger, Joseph Douglas}}
Category:Living people
Category:American geneticists
Category:Statistical geneticists
Category:Peabody Institute alumni
Category:Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni
Category:Human geneticists
Category:Columbia University faculty
Category:21st-century American tubists
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joseph Terwilliger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Terwilliger) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Terwilliger?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.