Well Wishes for Gerald

Friends and colleagues of Dr. Gerald Westheimer have sent their well wishes in honor of his 100th birthday celebration.

Torsten Wiesel, Rockefeller University

As we both turn 100 this year, I am thrilled (it is indeed great) that we both have reached this milestone year close together, celebrating 70 years of our friendship. Gerald himself has defined our dear friendship as one of affinity, which is probably the best way to describe our relationship:

From our love of music from Bach to now but maybe not all of (some)contemporary music (once I brought Gerald to an avant-garde jazz concert at which he felt “pummelled” by Braxton et al.) ; our views on politics are pretty much in tune; our perspective on issues of the brain are different but nonetheless shared; our appreciation for excellent cuisine (though he still has, as promised, to take me to the French Laundry); to our need for privacy is absolute.

Gerald, you are a unique specimen, always anew in your views and comments on the world around us - no one can escape your acute observations and sharp mind. You are indeed a real friend, always close to my heart.

Happy birthday,

– Torsten Wiesel, Rockefeller University

Dr Sarah J. Waugh, University of Huddersfield, UK

Many apologies Gerald, for not being able to make it across the pond to congratulate you on your many life and work achievements and to thank you for providing inspiration to us, in the finest possible way. Your work in hyperacuity and other topics in physiological optics has stimulated so much curiosity in vision scientists, young and old. I was fortunate to attend your Festschrift at Berkeley many years ago and it is amazing that you have now made it to an even greater milestone. If we could all be so lucky! It is wonderful that vision science still keeps your mind entertained and perhaps this is the secret to life longevity? I would love to hear your insight into where you think the field will develop. Thank you for showing us how it should be done, so we can pass this on to others as they navigate careers and aspirations, like was passed on to me. Very best wishes as you continue to travel in the world of curiosity, solving more mind puzzles as you go.

– Dr Sarah J Waugh, University of Huddersfield, UK

David Zee, Johns Hopkins Neurology

David Robinson spoke glowingly about you often when, in 1972, I first started working with and learning from him about eye movements. Then you and I met (I am sure you don't remember but youngsters always do) when we had a beer together somewhere in Northern California when I was starting my work on focal cerebellar lesions in trained monkeys to follow on your landmark papers in the early 1970s on cerebellectomy in monkeys. I remember you telling me that changes in tone in the brainstem were responsible for some aspects of cerebellar lesions in monkeys, And, when you asked me if I was comfortable with mathematics I recalled being a little uncomfortable with trying to give you an honest answer! At any rate you have always been and still are an inspiration for all of us. Congratulations on a fabulous career.

– David Zee, Johns Hopkins Neurology

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