The name of Dr. James Watson is inscribed in science textbooks among the likes of Jonas Salk, who discovered the vaccine for polio, and Louis Pasteur, who came up with a fool-proof method for purifying milk. Watson, a legendary pioneer in the field of genetics, on Tuesday honored SUNY Farmingdale president Frank Cipriani, when he delivered the keynote address at the celebration of the college head's 20th anniversary at the helm.

In 1953, Watson - with Francis Crick - discovered the double helical structure of DNA, a feat that was described by Sir Peter Medawar as "the greatest achievement of science in the 20th century." For this work, he and Crick, together with Maurice Wilkins, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1962. During his speech at SUNY Farmingdale, which was entitled "The Academic Underpinning of Advancing Societies," Watson exhibited the genuineness and depth of intellect that one would expect from a world-renowned scientist.

As the current president of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Watson is Cipriani's partner in a joint effort between the institutions to create a biotechnology park at SUNY Farmingdale. Ground-breaking for the center, which has received $15 million dollars in funding from the New York State Empire Development Corporation, is set for Oct. 6. The undertaking is being touted by both Watson and Cipriani as one which will promote industry and high-tech job growth on Long Island.

The park was a key aspect of Dr. Cipriani's remarks at the convocation, which outlined the progress of the college in the past 20 years, as well as goals for the future. He expressed pride in the accomplishment of changing the official mission of the school from a two-year agricultural and technical school to a four-year, baccalaureate degree granting college. "We achieved the most complete single mission change in SUNY history," he said.

Also during his remarks, Cipriani stated that he sees the college's main responsibilities as education, environment and economy. Among the short term goals he mentioned are: completing construction of the biotechnology project, expanding current course offerings, modernizing residence dormitories and replacing the school's aging aircraft fleet. Long term goals included taking a leading role in science and the environment, increasing international projects, staying in tune with Long Island's changing land uses, and continuing efforts to keep manufacturing on Long Island (the college currently hosts a manufacturing business incubator).

In an interview after the ceremony, Cipriani noted that he wants to build on the mission change through an expanded focus on curricula geared toward high-technology jobs. "What we have in place needs to be expanded," he said, adding, "We need to be interactive and pro-active."

In Watson's address, he encouraged Cipriani to continue to advance the college, and noted that history shows that civilizations and countries in which the pursuit of knowledge and discovery have been fostered are the ones which have been the most successful. Countries where universities have been strongest are the ones where industry and culture have thrived most, he said. He stressed the importance of physics and chemistry, in particular, and added, "Those civilizations which try to keep people from understanding reality, in the long run, do not survive."

In an interview after the convocation ceremony, Watson confirmed the message he was trying to send through his presentation. "Our survival depends on knowledge," he said.

Watson, a Chicago native, is now 70 years old, and was 25 when he and Crick made their famous genetic discovery. Asked if he realized at the time the impact the feat would have on generations to come, he responded, "No, no, never." Referring to the structure of the double-helical model, he added, "It was simple. You could understand it. It was right there in front of you."