Aubrey Gorbman, 88; Zoologist Praised for Mentoring Women
Aubrey Gorbman, 88, a retired University of Washington zoologist and endocrinologist praised for mentoring women scientists, died Sept. 21 in his Seattle home of complications from Parkinson’s disease.
President Bill Clinton presented Gorbman with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 1998, noting that over a quarter-century, Gorbman had advised 16 doctoral candidates, including nine women, and 50 postdoctoral associates, including 13 women.
He was the founder and editor for 32 years of the journal General and Comparative Endocrinology.
Gorbman also wrote the popular “Textbook of Comparative Endocrinology.” The book outlines the study of how similar hormones act in various animals and species and how the environment influences animal hormones.
He was a co-author of more than 20 articles on endocrinology, including two scheduled for posthumous publication.
Born to Russian immigrant parents in Detroit, Gorbman earned a bachelor’s degree at Wayne State University and doctorate in zoology at UC Berkeley.
He taught at Barnard College and Columbia University before moving to the University of Washington to head its zoology department from 1963 until his retirement in 1985.
