Bettie Sue Masters, Adjunct Professor in Biochemistry, was recently awarded an honorary D. Sc. degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and a conference room was dedicated in her name. She served as the first female chair of the Department of Biochemistry from 1982-90, specifically the first female chair of any department in the school’s history. Bettie Sue founded their MD/PhD program, which became an NIH-funded MSTP program after her departure.
She was hooded by Dr. Nancy Dahms, Professor of Biochemistry, and Dr. Jung-Ja Kim, retired Professor of Biochemistry, both at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Dahms was the last faculty member recruited by Bettie Sue and recently stepped down as president of the Society for Glycobiology. Dr. Kim is a structural biologist and the world’s authority on flavoprotein structures, who solved the highly-cited structures of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and the flavoprotein subdomain of nitric oxide synthase in collaboration with her lab. Bettie Sue says, “Those were the days of high bars for accomplishment, optimism, and some progress—the commencement and dedication occasions were ‘over the top,’ and the warmth of reception was exceptional.”
Bettie Sue received her PhD in Biochemistry from Duke in 1963. She returned as an adjunct professor after 40 years with the University of Texas system, with her chairmanship at the Medical College of Wisconsin sandwiched in.