Stanley Edward Stevens Jr. was an American microbiologist, educator, and university administrator whose career included research at Los Alamos National Laboratory, faculty and biotechnology leadership at Pennsylvania State University, and a Chair of Excellence in Molecular Biology at the University of Memphis. He also contributed to DNA-computing research and Tennessee higher-education governance.
Background
Stanley Edward Stevens Jr., known as Ed Stevens, was born on June 25, 1944, in Ringgold, Georgia. He was the son of Stanley Stevens Sr. and Josephine Fenley Stevens and the brother of Marcelle Moore. Stevens spent much of his professional life in academic science and higher education, later making Memphis, Tennessee, his home. After retiring from the University of Memphis, he and his wife, Dianne Day, helped establish Delta Blues Winery, where he served as chief executive officer and winemaker.
Education
Stevens studied at the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in microbiology and a Doctor of Philosophy in botany. His degrees were completed in 1966, 1968, and 1971, respectively. The progression from microbiology to botany reflected the interdisciplinary scientific foundation that later informed his work in microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, and biological research.
Career
Stevens began his scientific career as a research associate at the University of Texas, completing that stage in 1971. From 1975 to 1977 he served as a visiting scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. During the same period he joined Pennsylvania State University, where he advanced from assistant professor to associate professor and later professor of microbiology. At Penn State he was also associated with the Biotechnology Institute and served as its associate director, while participating in the institution's industrial affiliate program. His work included research in microbiology and biotechnology and later extended to DNA-based computation and molecular biology.
In 1988 Stevens was appointed to the Chair of Excellence in Molecular Biology at Memphis State University, later the University of Memphis. He became a professor of microbiology and held senior academic and administrative responsibilities, including chairing two departments and directing the Edward J. Meeman Biological Station. He served as president of the University of Memphis Faculty Senate and as faculty athletic representative, representing the university in matters involving its athletics department, Conference USA, the American Athletic Conference, and the NCAA. He was appointed faculty regent of the Tennessee Board of Regents for 2008–2009. The University of Memphis later listed him as professor emeritus.
After retiring from the university, Stevens and Dianne Day helped found Delta Blues Winery in Lakeland, Tennessee. He served as the winery's chief executive officer and winemaker while continuing to pursue interests in wine, outdoor work, nature, and community activities.
Achievements
Contributed to the development of DNA-computing research through collaborative work on DNA-based algorithms, finite-state machines, evolutionary search, and reliable molecular encodings.
Served as a university professor, department chair, biological-station director, faculty-senate president, and faculty athletic representative during a long academic career at the University of Memphis.
Helped establish Delta Blues Winery after retiring from the University of Memphis and served as its chief executive officer and winemaker.
Works
conference paper
A DNA-Based Implementation of an Evolutionary Search for Good Encodings for DNA Computation
(Co-authored conference paper concerning evolutionary sear...)
1997
Good Encodings for DNA-Based Solutions to Combinatorial Problems
(Co-authored paper on reliable DNA sequence encodings for ...)
1999
A New Algorithm for DNA Based Computation
(Co-authored conference paper on algorithms for DNA-based ...)
1997
DNA Implementation of Nondeterminism
(Co-authored contribution to the study of nondeterministic...)
(Co-authored review of DNA computing, its relationship to ...)
1998
Membership
Stevens was a Fellow of the American Academy for Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He belonged to the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Society for Microbiology, the American Society of Plant Physiologists, the Phycological Society of America, and Sigma Xi. His professional participation reflected his long-standing engagement with microbiology, molecular biology, plant science, biotechnology, and interdisciplinary research.
Fellow.
American Academy for Microbiology
,
United States
Fellow.
American Association for the Advancement of Science
,
United States
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
,
United States
American Society for Microbiology
,
United States
American Society of Plant Physiologists
,
United States
Phycological Society of America
,
United States
Sigma Xi
,
United States
Personality
Stevens was remembered by family and friends for his storytelling, intellectual curiosity, willingness to debate politics and many other subjects, and enthusiasm for reading, woodworking, dancing, wine, outdoor work, hiking, rafting, and exploring nature.
Interests
Woodworking, dancing, reading, collecting and enjoying wine, working outdoors, hiking, rafting, exploring nature, debating politics, and participating in Carnival Memphis and the Ramet Krewe.
Connections
Stevens was married to Dianne Day. Together they helped found Delta Blues Winery after his retirement from the University of Memphis. He was the father of Christina Luttrell, Kathleen Stevens, Alexis Luttrell, Heather Rogers, Nathan Stevens, and Jay Luttrell, and the grandfather of Jeanne Tutor, Lita Rogers, Simon Ortiz, Zoe Rogers, Hudson Tutor, Edward Keel, Eleanor Stevens, and Ruthanne Stevens. His parents were Stanley Stevens Sr. and Josephine Fenley Stevens.
Father:
Stanley Stevens Sr.
Father of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
Mother:
Josephine Fenley Stevens
Mother of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
Spouse:
Dianne Day
Wife of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.; together they helped found Delta Blues Winery.
child:
Christina Luttrell
Daughter of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
child:
Kathleen Stevens
Daughter of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
child:
Alexis Luttrell
Daughter of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
child:
Heather Rogers
Daughter of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
child:
Nathan Stevens
Son of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
child:
Jay Luttrell
Son of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
sibling:
Marcelle Moore
Sister of Stanley Edward Stevens Jr.
References
Stanley “Ed” Stevens Jr. Obituary
Documents Stevens's birth and death dates, education, academic and administrative career, professional service, family relationships, interests, retirement activities, and memorial arrangements.
