Victor Macomber Cutter Jr. was born in Quiriguá, Guatemala, on February 20, 1917, the son of Victor Macomber Cutter and Florence de Jongh. His father was a prominent United Fruit Company executive, and his family maintained longstanding connections with Guatemala and the northeastern United States. Cutter later married Mary Lois Jotter in 1942.
Cutter received an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College in 1938 and a doctorate from Cornell University in 1941. His academic training led to a career in botany, microbiology, and mycology, with particular emphasis on fungal cytology, genetics, physiology, and taxonomy.
After completing his doctorate at Cornell University in 1941, Cutter taught and conducted research in botany and plant science. He served as an instructor of botany at Cornell University, a lecturer in botany at the University of Minnesota, and an associate professor of microbiology at Yale University. In 1952 he joined the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina as professor of biology and head of the department; he continued in that leadership role until his death in 1962. His research included the isolation and culture of rust fungi, fungal genetics, and broader studies of fungal biology. He held successive research grants from the National Science Foundation for work on fungal genetics and received additional support from the American Cancer Society. At the Woman's College he was also recognized as a pioneer in teaching science through television.
(Research article published in Farlowia, volume 4, issue 1...)
1950(Co-authored with Hugh H. Hotson and published in the Proc...)
1951Cutter belonged to Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi and participated in a broad range of scientific organizations. His memberships included the Botanical Society of America, the Mycological Society of America, the Torrey Botanical Club, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the Association of Southeastern Biologists, and the New Hampshire, New York, and North Carolina Academies of Science.
Honorary scientific society.
Sigma Xi , United States
Honorary scientific society.
Phi Kappa Phi , United States
Botanical Society of America , United States
Mycological Society of America , United States
Torrey Botanical Club , United States
American Institute of Biological Sciences , United States
Association of Southeastern Biologists , United States
New Hampshire Academy of Science , United States
New York Academy of Science , United States
North Carolina Academy of Science , United States
Cutter was the son of United Fruit Company executive Victor Macomber Cutter and Florence de Jongh. He married botanist and professor Mary Lois Jotter in 1942.
