Oral History Project

The AAI Oral History Project is a major initiative to provide contemporary investigators and the public a rare view into the lives and times of influential immunologists. AAI arranged for award-winning oral historian Brien Williams, Ph.D., to begin interviewing past AAI presidents in the spring of 2012. Interviewees were asked about their family backgrounds, early interest in science, reasons for studying immunology, career and research highlights, the challenges in balancing professional and private lives, hobbies outside of the laboratory, major changes in immunology over the course of their careers, and the future of immunology and science in the United States.

In 2015, the project expanded to include past editors-in-chief (EIC) of The Journal of Immunology and AAI Career Award recipients, including AAI Lifetime Achievement Award, AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award, AAI-Steinman Award for Human Immunology Research, AAI-BioLegend Herzenberg Award, AAI-Thermo Fisher Meritorious Career Award, and AAI Public Service Award.

 Past Presidents

Herman N. Eisen

Herman N. Eisen
President, 1968–1969
AAI '51

K. Frank Austen

K. Frank Austen
President, 1977–1978
AAI '62

David W. Talmage

David W. Talmage
President, 1978–1979
AAI '54

Jonathan W. Uhr

Jonathan W. Uhr
President, 1983–1984
AAI '58

Barry R. Bloom

Barry R. Bloom
President, 1985–1986
AAI '67

William E. Paul

William E. Paul
President, 1986–1987
AAI '67

Max D. Cooper

Max D. Cooper
President, 1988–1989
AAI '66

Henry Metzger

Henry Metzger
President, 1991–1992
Secretary-Treasurer, 1970–1986
AAI '65

Frank W. Fitch

Frank W. Fitch
President, 1992–1993
EIC, 1997–2002
AAI '61

Ellen S. Vitetta

Ellen S. Vitetta
President, 1993–1994
AAI '74

Irving L. Weissman

Irving L. Weissman
President, 1994–1995
AAI '71

Richard W. Dutton

Richard W. Dutton
President, 1995–1996
AAI '63

Katherine L. Knight

Katherine L. Knight
President, 1996–1997
AAI '68

Jonathan Sprent

Jonathan Sprent
President, 1998–1999
AAI '80

Roger M. Perlmutter

Roger M. Perlmutter
President, 1999–2000
AAI '83

Philippa Marrack

Philippa Marrack
President, 2000–2001
AAI '74

James P. Allison

James P. Allison
President, 2001–2002
AAI '78

Paul W. Kincade

Paul W. Kincade
President, 2002–2003
AAI '75

Laurie H. Glimcher

Laurie H. Glimcher
President, 2003–2004
AAI '83

Susan L. Swain

Susan L. Swain
President, 2004–2005
AAI '77

Paul M. Allen

Paul M. Allen
President, 2005–2006
AAI '85

Lewis L. Lanier

Lewis L. Lanier
President, 2006–2007
AAI '80

Olivera J. Finn

Olivera J. Finn
President, 2007–2008
AAI '83

Arthur Weiss

Arthur Weiss
President, 2008–2009
AAI '81

Betty A. Diamond

Betty A. Diamond
President, 2009–2010
AAI '80

Jeffrey A. Frelinger

Jeffrey A. Frelinger
President, 2010–2011
AAI '76

Leslie J. Berg

Leslie J. Berg
President, 2011–2012
AAI '94

Gail A. Bishop

Gail A. Bishop
President, 2012–2013
AAI '84

Marc K. Jenkins

Marc K. Jenkins
President, 2013–2014
AAI '88

Linda A. Sherman

Linda A. Sherman
President, 2014–2015
AAI '81

Dan R. Littman

Dan R. Littman
President, 2015–2016
AAI '87

 Past Editors-in-Chief of The Journal of Immunology

Ethan M. Shevach

Ethan M. Shevach
EIC, 1987–1992
AAI '73


Frank W. Fitch

Frank W. Fitch
President, 1992–1993
EIC, 1997–2002
AAI '61


Robert R. Rich

Robert R. Rich
EIC, 2003–2008
AAI '73


Pamela J. Fink

Pamela J. Fink
EIC, 2013–2018
AAI '87


 AAI Career Award Recipients

Rafi Ahmed

Rafi Ahmed
AAI '84


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