George Corcoran ’70
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award acknowledges alumni who have completed at least 40 years of their professional career and/or retired from their lifelong profession. They have achieved exceptional success in their profession and/or have contributed significantly to the advancement and leadership of noteworthy civic, philanthropic, or service organizations for many years. Their lifelong achievements have brought them significant professional and volunteer recognition and has set a standard of excellence to which others may aspire.
The Emmerson quote in his high school yearbook “Nothing in life is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind” somehow foresaw George’s international leadership in health, education, and mentoring. His life journey was to be as much about science as humanity. It didn’t begin gaining critical traction until he could boldly wave his BA in Chemistry flag from Ithaca College.
George impacted so many through his diverse professional positions because he has created cultures where everyone mattered, and everyone could thrive. Whether authoring original research papers or research grants, chairing NIH / National Academies or Howard Hughes panels, or helping train hundreds of MS / PhD graduates, thousands of pharmacists, or guiding undergraduate researchers, serving 2 decades as Pharmaceutical Sciences Chair, or leading Faculty / Staff, his personal commitment as servant leader was that all who wanted to, would succeed.
George reveled in being President of the Society of Toxicology, the most impactful such organization in the world with 7,500 members from academia, industry, government, medicine, and law practicing in >60 countries. He forged Society positions of international impact, from the best science for evidence-based safety legislation, to organization ethics and governance. He drew upon the top scientists in the World, including Nobel Laureates, as contributors and as Keynotes speakers. His mantra has always been Science Is King. He extended this to other societies he served, the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics the the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
Corcoran has remained a fierce spokesperson for the importance of science as truth. George was elected Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, the elite credentialing organization that recognizes the top 1 percent of toxicologists in the world, and was elected to its Executive Board. He was appointed to the National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors and has been a Standing Member of the EPA Scientific Advisory Panel, and served the Scientific Advisory Board of the EPA and chaired the Executive Board of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents. At the University of New Mexico, future FDA Commissioner Dr. Jane Henney asked George to advise her on the Health Sciences Center Leadership Council.
George remains quite active, as Associate Editor of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology and mentoring upcoming professionals. Corcoran’s opinions and expertise continue to be sought in toxicology consulting and in legal cases involving health, safety and toxicology matters. As in the past, he provides pro bono service via the Public Defender Office.
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