Proctor Academy - Gordon Research Conferences

In the summer of 1931, chemistry professor Neil E. Gordon convened a group of scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. His purpose was to allow people at the cutting-edge of research within a given field of science to come together and share the product of their work. Over subsequent summers, these conferences fostered in-depth examination of current advances, while stimulating new directions for future research. When Dr. Gordon died in 1946, the conferences were named in his honor, and were moved to Colby Junior College (now Colby-Sawyer) in New London, New Hampshire. For decades now, Proctor’s campus has been one of eight local sites hosting weekly Gordon Research Conferences. Ours tend to involve molecular biology. Here’s a lecture in the Norris Family Theater:

This week, we're hosting 160 scientists from around the world who are studying Molecular Membrane Biology. They are passionately serious about their work, running late in lectures and grabbing spare moments to network with one another. Coffee breaks are in a tent immediately outside the Wilkins Meeting House.

In addition to generating income for the school during the summer months, and making Proctor known to thousands of academicians, GRC keeps the kitchen and housekeeping staffs gainfully employed.

English classrooms are transformed into GRC offices and cyber cafes.

Each day offers a full morning of intense lectures with lots of Q & A in the Norris Family Theater. This morning's topics covered membrane subdomains: ER-Golgi units in Drosphila, uniform Golgi enzyme distribution in mammilian cells, eisosomes, vescicle trafficking in intracellular lumens in Drosphila tracheal terminal cells, etc. After lunch, there are a couple of hours for local recreation, a swim at Bradley Lake or a kayaking trip. Large posters on easels get plenty of attention during the afternoon social hour.

And that's what's happening here today!

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Dr. Neil Gordon, whose vision for advancing highly focused sciences became Gordon Research Conferences.

The scene outside the Meeting House during a coffee break.

During breaks, conferees seem wholly absorbed by the advances that are being presented.

The mission is noble: to provide a place for open, free discussion and exploration of new research.

Proctor's kitchen staff could prepare the same sequence of meals every week to new conferees. But no. Nate's making risotto to go with today's sushi offerings at lunch.

Barbara Major preps a salad bar in which all herbs are picked fresh from Proctor's organic garden.

Brittany Stratton '05, shown adjusting lights and sound in the Cotton Control Room, is one of several Proctor students finding summer employment through GRC.

The mile-and-a-half walk up to the dam at Bradley Lake is worth it.