For the fourth lecture in the Ford/MIT Nobel Laureate Lecture series, Prof. David Baltimore offers a lecture titled “Building a Community on Trust,” on February 19th, 2002. Prof. Baltimore is President of the California Institute of Technology, and formerly Institute Professor at MIT and founding director of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. He was awarded the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for "discoveries concerning the interaction between tumor viruses and the genetic material of the cell,” and received the National Medal of Science in 1999.

In his wide-ranging talk, Prof. Baltimore underscores the fundamental importance of trust in scientific endeavor. He touches on personal experiences during his tenure at MIT, such as the Thereza Imanishi-Kari case, and the challenges of bringing the Whitehead Institute to MIT despite initial anxieties. He also considers ethical and trust issues in current events, from the Enron scandal to the ImClone failure.

Prof. Baltimore is introduced by Robert J. Silbey, Dean of MIT’s School of Science.

About the Ford/MIT Nobel Laureate Lecture Series: In 1997 the Ford Motor Company engaged MIT in a strategic partnership to address a set of 21st century challenges facing the automotive industry. Through this innovative program, the Nobel Laureate Lecture Series was introduced in 2000 and featured local and international Nobel Laureates leading provocative discussions in economics, physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, and peacemaking. Seven lectures were held from 2000 to 2005 at MIT and were organized by MIT's Community Services Office, Lecture Series Committee, Graduate Student Council, Industrial Liaison Program, Undergraduate Association, and the Office of the Chancellor.