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Friday, November 13, 2026
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Retirement for Pioneering Plant Scientist Includes Publishing, Mentoring
Professor Eleanore Wurtzel, center, surrounded by family, colleagues, and former students.
November 13, 2026
After 40 years at Lehman College and the CUNY Graduate Center, distinguished biochemist and molecular biologist Eleanore Wurtzel is retiring at the end of the fall 2026 semester. At a recent celebration, the internationally recognized plant scientist reflected on her career and her influence on generations of students.
Drawn to Lehman's graduate programs and relationship with the New York Botanical Garden, Wurtzel joined the College in 1987. She established a grant-funded research laboratory, developed courses in molecular biology and grant writing, chaired the Department of Biological Sciences and its plant sciences doctoral subprogram, and helped strengthen Lehman's research infrastructure. She also founded scientific conferences and served on the board of trustees of Gordon Research Conferences.
“When I first arrived at Lehman College, my goal was to build a research program centered on a significant problem with potential to improve human health.” Four decades later, the department conducts research with global impact and draws students and scholars from around the world.
Her honors include election as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2005 and a 2023 lifetime achievement honor from the International Carotenoid Society. She was the first woman and first U.S. scientist to receive the latter distinction.
Former students spoke at the celebration, including scientists working at Brown University, the National Institutes of Health, and medical schools.
"I came to Lehman to build a productive research program and never expected to have such a long-lasting impact on students, on colleagues, and the broader scientific community," she said.
Approaching retirement, Wurtzel has reduced her mentoring load. Her final mentees this semester include a student from an Indigenous community in the Andes who has entered a doctoral program and a student from Senegal studying bioinformatics who will pursue a master's degree in biological sciences at Lehman, followed by clinical doctoral studies.
As professor emerita, Wurtzel plans to continue mentoring, collaborating, and publishing research, while making more time for family, travel, and dancing.
“Lehman gave me the opportunity to grow, evolve, and become the person I wanted to be,” she said. “My career was shaped and enriched by a remarkable progression of experiences and leadership roles at the College and the University, complemented by deep engagement with scientific communities on both the national and international stages. Going forward, I hope to draw upon those experiences to mentor and support others as they advance their research and professional careers.”