Rita R. Colwell

{{short description|American microbiologist (born 1934)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rita R. Colwell | image = Rita R. Colwell (54930054299) (cropped).jpg | caption = Colwell in 2025 | order = 11th | title = Director of the National Science Foundation | term_start = 1998 | term_end = 2004 | president = Bill Clinton<br />George W. Bush | predecessor = Neal Francis Lane | successor = Arden L. Bement Jr. | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|11|23}} | birth_place = Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | citizenship = | alma_mater = Purdue University<br />University of Washington | module = {{Infobox scientist | embed=yes |thesis_title = Commensal bacteria of marine animals; a study of their distribution, physiology and taxonomy |thesis_url = https://www.proquest.com/docview/302062056/ |thesis_year = 1961 |doctoral_advisor = John Liston |academic_advisors = |doctoral_students = Jody Deming |notable_students = |known_for = |influences = |influenced = |field = Microbiology |work_institutions = National Science Foundation<br />University of Maryland College Park<br />Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health<br />Georgetown University |prizes = }} }}

'''Rita Rossi Colwell''' (born November 23, 1934) is an American environmental microbiologist and scientific administrator. Colwell holds degrees in bacteriology, genetics, and oceanography and studies infectious diseases. Colwell is the founder and Chair of CosmosID, a bioinformatics company. From 1998 to 2004, she was the 11th Director and 1st female Director of the National Science Foundation.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/011500/011592/html/11592bio.html#1|title=Rita Rossi Colwell, MSA SC 3520-11592|website=msa.maryland.gov|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> She has served on the board of directors of EcoHealth Alliance since 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date= 3 February 2016|title=Board of Directors |url=https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/board-of-directors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026212244/https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/board-of-directors |archive-date=2023-10-26 |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=EcoHealth Alliance}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2012-11-27 |title=EcoHealth Alliance Announces Dr. Rita Colwell's Election to Board of Directors |url=https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/2012/11/ecohealth-alliance-announces-dr-rita-colwells-election-to-board-of-directors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402024407/https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/2012/11/ecohealth-alliance-announces-dr-rita-colwells-election-to-board-of-directors |archive-date=2023-04-02 |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=EcoHealth Alliance}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Colwell was born on November 23, 1934, in Beverly, Massachusetts. Her parents, Louis and Louise Rossi, had eight children, Rita being the seventh child born into the Rossi household. Neither her mother nor her father were from scientific backgrounds. In 1956, Rita obtained a B.S. in bacteriology from Purdue University. She also received her M.S. in genetics from Purdue in 1957. Colwell obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Washington in aquatic microbiology under the direction of microbiologist John Liston in 1961.<ref name="thesis-colwell-1961">{{cite thesis |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/302062056 |title=Commensal bacteria of marine animals; a study of their distribution, physiology and taxonomy |date=1961 |publisher=University of Washington |type=Ph.D. |last=Colwell |first=Rita Barbara Rossi |id={{ProQuest|302062056}}|url-access=subscription |oclc=20018876}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washington.edu/alumni/columns/june00/colwell3.html |title=Wonder Women: Bumping Against the Glass Ceiling |date=June 2000 |first=Jon |last=Marmor |magazine=Columns Magazine |publisher=University of Washington}}</ref> She participated in a post-doctoral fellowship at the Canadian National Research Council in Ottawa.

== Career == thumb|Colwell describes her research path from fruit fly geneticist to world class biologist, and the key decision points and supporters along the way. Colwell is recognized for her study of global infectious disease spread through water sources and its impacts on global health.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://cbmg.umd.edu/faculty/ritacolwell/|title=RitaColwell – Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics|website=cbmg.umd.edu|access-date=2016-09-13}}</ref> Through this research, she has developed an international network that has brought attention to the emergence of new infectious diseases in drinking/bathing water, pertaining mostly to its role on the developing world.

=== Cholera research === During early research and study of cholera, Colwell discovered that cholera can lay dormant in unfavorable conditions and then resume normal functions when conditions are favorable again.<ref name=":1" />

Many of her research papers have focused on abating the spread of cholera in the developing world by improving ways to track its spread and researching inexpensive methods for filtrating out the infection agents of cholera in water systems. Some of these tracking methods include observing weather patterns, surface water temperatures, chlorophyll concentrations, and rainfall patterns. Colwell's findings of correlations between these phenomena showed that the infection rate of cholera is connected to water temperatures. This rising temperature causes algae blooms that host cholera bacteria, and rainfall and extreme weather patterns aid in spreading cholera among water systems.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Magny|first1=Guillaume Constantin de|last2=Murtugudde|first2=Raghu|last3=Sapiano|first3=Mathew R. P.|last4=Nizam|first4=Azhar|last5=Brown|first5=Christopher W.|last6=Busalacchi|first6=Antonio J.|last7=Yunus|first7=Mohammad|last8=Nair|first8=G. Balakrish|last9=Gil|first9=Ana I.|date=2008-11-18|title=Environmental signatures associated with cholera epidemics|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=105|issue=46|pages=17676–17681|doi=10.1073/pnas.0809654105|issn=0027-8424|pmc=2584748|pmid=19001267|doi-access=free}}</ref> Colwell also concluded that climate change will have a profound impact on the spread of cholera.

Colwell has proposed ways people in the developing world can use inexpensive methods to filter water when water treatment facilities are not available. In one study spanning about 3 years, 65 villages in rural Bangladesh comprising 133,000 individuals, participated in an experiment in which they used folded sari cloth or nylon mesh filters placed over water pots to acquire safe drinking water from their local waterways. These inexpensive and readily available materials yielded a 48% reduction in cholera, when compared with the control: absence of any type of filter.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Colwell|first1=Rita R.|last2=Huq|first2=Anwar|last3=Islam|first3=M. Sirajul|last4=Aziz|first4=K. M. A.|last5=Yunus|first5=M.|last6=Khan|first6=N. Huda|last7=Mahmud|first7=A.|last8=Sack|first8=R. Bradley|last9=Nair|first9=G.B.|date=2003-02-04|title=Reduction of cholera in Bangladeshi villages by simple filtration|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=100|issue=3|pages=1051–1055|doi=10.1073/pnas.0237386100|issn=0027-8424|pmc=298724|pmid=12529505|bibcode=2003PNAS..100.1051C|doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== National Science Foundation === Colwell was the first female director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and held this position from 1998 to 2004.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/colwell/colwell_bio.jsp|title=US NSF – News – Rita R. Colwell, Biography|website=www.nsf.gov|access-date=2016-10-20}}</ref> In a presentation to members of the foundation in 2002, she detailed what the foundation should address in the future. She explained that an educated society is critical not just for developing technology, but for supporting that development, both by the public and by the government.

Colwell is interested in K-12 science and mathematical education, and she is a proponent of increasing the number of women and minorities in science and engineering.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/people/rcolwell|title=Rita Colwell {{!}} UMIACS|website=www.umiacs.umd.edu|access-date=2016-09-13|archive-date=25 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925044905/http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/people/rcolwell|url-status=dead}}</ref> Rita Colwell was responsible for doubling the funding to the NSF initiative ADVANCE, which supports the advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers. Colwell also pushed to invest $60 million as part of a new priority area in mathematical and statistical sciences.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/colwell/rc020212naecolloq.htm|title=Director Rita R. Colwell's Remarks to The Engineering Deans Council Public Policy Colloquium, National Academy of Engineering, February 12, 2002|website=www.nsf.gov|access-date=2016-10-26|archive-date=29 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029045559/https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/colwell/rc020212naecolloq.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2004, Colwell completed her term as director of the National Science Foundation.<ref name="Dame">{{Cite web|last=Dame|first=Marketing Communications: Web // University of Notre|title=Rita Colwell, former director of NSF, to deliver the Graduate School Commencement Address|url=https://news.nd.edu/news/rita-colwell-former-director-of-nsf-to-deliver-the-graduate-school-commencement-address/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=Notre Dame News|date=2 May 2016 |language=en}}</ref> She then became the chief scientist at Canon U.S. Life Sciences, a division of Canon. She served as chairman of Canon U.S. Life Sciences<ref name="Dame"/> until 2006 when she was named as Senior Advisor and Chairman Emeritus.

=== Academia === Colwell joined the faculty of the [https://biology.georgetown.edu/ Department of Biology] at [https://www.georgetown.edu/ Georgetown University] in 1964, and she gained tenure there in 1966. While at Georgetown, Colwell and her research team were the first to learn that the causative agent of cholera was found naturally in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1972, Colwell accepted a tenured professorship at the University of Maryland. She remains a professor at the University of Maryland at College Park and at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.nist.gov/office-director/biography-rita-r-colwell|title=Biography of Rita R. Colwell|last=Corey|first=Pamela|journal=NIST |date=2014-01-24|access-date=2016-09-13}}</ref> At the University of Maryland at College Park, she is a Distinguished University Professor in the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS), which is part of the university's College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.

=== CosmosID === Colwell founded the company CosmosID in 2008, and she currently serves as global science officer and chairman of the board.<ref name=":2" /> CosmosID is a bioinformatics company that develops various types of equipment to identify microbial activity in a variety of ecosystems.

=== EcoHealth Alliance ===

Colwell was elected to the Board of Directors of EcoHealth Alliance in November 2012.<ref name=":7" />

== Publications and media == {{Scholia}} Colwell has authored or co-authored more than 800 scientific reports and publications, along with 19 books.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalmedals.org/laureates/rita-r-colwell|title=Rita R. Colwell|last=Ayala|first=Christine|date=2016|website=National Science and Technology Medals Foundation|access-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>

In 1977, Colwell produced the award-winning film ''Invisible Seas.'' In this 26-minute film, the microbiology department at the University of Maryland, College Park demonstrates what types of methodology are required of marine microbiologists when studying microorganisms in the ocean. They emphasize the importance of marine microbiologists studying microorganisms in the ocean in order to determine the impact pollution has had on our oceans.<ref>{{Citation|last1=University of Maryland|first1=College Park|title=Invisible seas|date=1977-01-01|last2=Department of Microbiology|last3=University of Maryland|last4=Office of University Relations|first3=College Park|publisher=The Office|language=en|oclc=19548735}}</ref>

Colwell is the founding editor of [https://geohealth-submit.agu.org/cgi-bin/main.plex GeoHealth], a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Colwell recognized the increase in published Geohealth research due to the advancement in our understanding of how Earth and space science provides deeper insight into health and disease in both people and ecosystems.

Colwell's memoir "A Lab of One's Own: One Woman's Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science",<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Colwell |first1=Rita R. |publisher=Simon & Schuster |title=A Lab of One's Own: One Woman's Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science |last2=McGrayne |first2=Sharon Bertsch|year=2020|isbn=978-1-5011-8127-6|edition=First Simon & Schuster hardcover|location=New York|oclc=1124524054}}</ref> written with Sharon Bertsch McGrayne, was released in August 2020.

Colwell is a co-author of a letter published in ''The Lancet'' titled "Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19" in which the authors declared, "We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin."<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Calisher |first1=Charles |last2=Carroll |first2=Dennis |last3=Colwell |first3=Rita |last4=Corley |first4=Ronald B |last5=Daszak |first5=Peter |last6=Drosten |first6=Christian |last7=Enjuanes |first7=Luis |last8=Farrar |first8=Jeremy |last9=Field |first9=Hume |last10=Golding |first10=Josie |last11=Gorbalenya |first11=Alexander |last12=Haagmans |first12=Bart |last13=Hughes |first13=James M |last14=Karesh |first14=William B |last15=Keusch |first15=Gerald T |date=2020-02-19 |title=Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19 |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30418-9 |journal=The Lancet |volume=395 |issue=10226 |pages=e42–e43 |doi=10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30418-9 |issn=0140-6736 |pmc=7159294 |pmid=32087122 |hdl=1887/3181264 }}</ref>

== Awards and recognition == Colwell is the recipient of 61 honorary degrees, including Honorary Doctorates from NUI Galway, the University of Notre Dame, The New School,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2010/05/congratulations-to-the-class-of-2010-the-new-school-commencement-to-be-held-on-may-21/#.Wzpn5BJKgWo |title=The New School Commencement to be Held on May 21 |date=2010-05-17 }}</ref> and the University of St Andrews in 2016.<ref name=":2" /> * Activities in the International Union of Microbiological Societies from 1962 to 1986<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.asm.org/index.php/component/content/article/71-membership/archives/8165-rita-colwell-papers|title=Rita Colwell Papers|website=www.asm.org|access-date=2016-10-20}}</ref> * Member of the National Science Board (1984–1990)<ref name=":2" /> * President of the American Society for Microbiology (1984–85)<ref name=":3" /> * 1991, Maryland Women's Hall of Fame<ref name=":5" /> * The Colwell Massif in Antarctica was named after her in 1994.<ref name="scar">{{cite web |title=Colwell Massif (USA) |url=https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/scar/search_names_action.cfm?search_text=2869&feature_type_code=0&country_id=0&relic_options=include_relics&north=-45.0&south=-90.0&west=-180.0&east=180.0&search_near=&radius=0.5&gazetteers=SCAR |website=SCAR Gazetteer |publisher=Australian Antarctic Data Centre |access-date=15 October 2021}}</ref> * President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1996) * Eleventh Director of the United States National Science Foundation, and the first woman to hold this position (1998–2004).<ref name=":2" /> * Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (1999)<ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#science-exploration}}</ref> * Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun-Gold and Silver Star-by the Emperor of Japan<ref name=":5" /> (2005<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-biol/02_pastrecipients_awardee2017.html|title=International Prize for biology – Japan Society for the Promotion of Science|website=www.jsps.go.jp|access-date=23 December 2017}}</ref>) * 2005, Induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame<ref>[https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/rita-rossi-colwell/ National Women's Hall of Fame, Rita Rossi Colwell]</ref>* National Medal of Science of the United States (2006)<ref name=":4" /> * In 2006, Colwell received the National Medal of Science from former United States President George W. Bush.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/od/nms/recip_details.jsp?recip_id=5300000000436 |title=The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details |publisher=NSF – National Science Foundation |access-date=2016-10-21}}</ref> * The 2008 Leonard Brockington Visitor to Queen's University * President of the American Institute of Biological Sciences in 2008<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/news/rita_colwell_aibs_past_president_receives_mahathir_science_award.html|title=Rita Colwell, AIBS Past President, Receives Mahathir Science Award|website=AIBS Public Policy Office|access-date=2016-10-26}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>* Stockholm Water Prize (2010)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=CosmosID Founder Rita Colwell |url=http://www.cosmosid.com/about-cosmosid/ |access-date=2016-10-20 |website=CosmosID – Exploring the Universe of Microbes |archive-date=29 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029045303/http://www.cosmosid.com/about-cosmosid/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> * Chair of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine (2016) * Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water; Creativity Award, 2016<ref>{{Cite web |title=Creativity Prize 7th Award |url=http://www.psipw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=391&Itemid=290 |publisher=Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water |access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref> * Mahathir Science Award (2016)<ref name=":6" /> * Member of the Academies of Science of Sweden, Canada, Bangladesh, India, and the United States * The American Academy of Arts and Sciences * The American Philosophical Society * Royal Society of Canada * Awarded the Vannevar Bush Award in 2017<ref>{{cite web|title=Rita Colwell, world-renowned microbiologist and science leader, to receive the Vannevar Bush Award|url=https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=241765|publisher=National Science Board|access-date=16 May 2017}}</ref> * Awarded the [https://www.siww.com.sg/events/details/lee-kuan-yew-water-prize Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize] in 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/seoul-us-scientist-receive-honours|title=Seoul, US scientist receive honours|last=hermes|date=2018-07-10|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.siww.com.sg/events/details/lee-kuan-yew-water-prize|title=Singapore International Water Week – Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize|date=2019-02-05|website=Singapore International Water Week}}</ref> * Foremother Award from The National Center for Health Research in 2018 * William Bowie Medal from the American Geophysical Union in 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.umiacs.umd.edu/about-us/news/colwell-honored-agu-william-bowie-medal|title=Colwell Honored by AGU with William Bowie Medal|website=umiacs.umd.edu|date=November 19, 2020|access-date=November 28, 2020}}</ref> * Columbus Center in Baltimore was renamed Rita Rossi Colwell Center in her honor in 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://colwellcenter.usmd.edu/about-us|title=colwellcenter.usmd.edu__about-us}}</ref>

== Personal life == Colwell met her husband, Jack Colwell, when he was a physical chemistry graduate student at Purdue.<ref name=":1" /> They had two daughters and three grandchildren. Jack H. Colwell (1931–2018) was a scientist at the National Bureau of Standards.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obituary. Jack Colwell|newspaper=Washington Post|date=February 18, 2018|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=jack-colwell&pid=188221216}} (typo in 2nd line of obituary)</ref>

== References == {{Reflist|3}}

==Further reading== * {{cite web | title = RitaColwell – Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics | url = https://cbmg.umd.edu/faculty/ritacolwell/ | website = University of Maryland: College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences | access-date=22 March 2019}} * {{cite web |title=Rita Colwell, Ph.D.: National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) |url=https://www.ncseglobal.org/bio/rita-colwell |website=National Council for Science and the Environment |access-date=22 March 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806194444/https://www.ncseglobal.org/bio/rita-colwell |url-status=dead }} * {{cite web | title =US NSF – News – Rita R. Colwell, Biography | url = https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/colwell/colwell_bio.jsp |website = National Science Foundation | access-date = 22 March 2019}}

==External links== * {{cite web|title=Dr Rita Colwell: 'Climate change, oceans and infectious disease: Cholera pandemics as a model'|date=October 30, 2015|publisher=Microbiology Society|website=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfVqc6zQAdM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/RfVqc6zQAdM| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} * {{cite web|title=Rita Colwell, "A Lab of One's Own"|date=September 14, 2020|publisher=Harvard Science Book Talks and Research Lectures|website=Youtube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZtYBmVqhGg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/1ZtYBmVqhGg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} * {{cite web|title=A Deep Conversation with Rita Colwell|date=March 24, 2021|publisher=University of California Television (UCTV)|website=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGJDOd3x0VA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/HGJDOd3x0VA| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} * {{cite web|title=Prof. Rita Colwell Bio|date=June 17, 2021|website=CosmosID|url=https://www.cosmosid.com/about-us/prof-rita-colwell/}}{{cbignore}}

{{s-start}} {{s-npo|pro}} {{succession box | before=Francisco J. Ayala | title=President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science | years=1996| after=Jane Lubchenco}} {{s-break}} {{s-gov}} {{succession box|before=Neal Lane |title=Director of the National Science Foundation|years=1998-2004|after=Arden L. Bement Jr.}} {{s-end}}

{{Winners of the National Medal of Science|biological}} {{Maryland Women's Hall of Fame}} {{National Women's Hall of Fame}} {{Presidents of the American Society for Microbiology|state=collapsed}} {{Presidents of the American Association for the Advancement of Science}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colwell, Rita R.}} Category:1934 births Category:American microbiologists Category:Fellows of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences Category:Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada Category:Foreign fellows of the Indian National Science Academy Category:Johns Hopkins University faculty Category:Living people Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Category:National Medal of Science laureates Category:Purdue University alumni Category:University of Maryland, College Park faculty Category:University of Washington College of the Environment alumni Category:American women microbiologists Category:20th-century American biologists Category:20th-century American women biologists Category:21st-century American biologists Category:21st-century American women biologists Category:Members of the Royal Irish Academy Category:George W. Bush administration personnel Category:Clinton administration personnel Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology Category:Scientific American people Category:Presidents of the International Union of Microbiological Societies Category:Graduate Women in Science members Category:Members of the American Philosophical Society Category:Presidents of the American Association for the Advancement of Science