The air was palpably tranquil in the Mandell Theater on October 7th, 2008 when more than 100 people gathered to celebrate the life and scientific achievements of Dr. Mary K. Howett, who passed away over the summer from leukemia.

Howett, professor and department head in the department of bioscience and biotechnology, received her B.S. in 1969 from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia), her Ph.D. in molecular biology from The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology of the University of Pennsylvania in 1976, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Leukemia Society of America, Inc.

For 30 years, Howett worked in a variety of positions at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, including professor in the department of microbiology and the department of obstetrics and gynecology. She was also director of the viral carcinogenesis Program at the Penn State Cancer Institute before joining Drexel.

Howett was the Ph.D. advisor of 11 doctoral students and numerous postdoctoral fellows, a member of nine professional societies, and a founding member of the International Society for NeuroVirology. She served on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Interdisciplinary Committee on Medical and Health Related Issues, which led to the passage of important legislation concerning confidentiality in HIV testing.  She published over 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, and was the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Renaissance Scientific, LLC. 

As a molecular virologist who specialized in the study of sexually transmitted diseases, Howett received countless research grants from federal and private-funding agencies and was the holder of numerous patents with her long-time collaborator, Dr. John W. Kreider, M.D. Her unprecedented work led to the discovery of a method for propagating human papillomaviruses (HPV), which contributed to the development of the papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, recently released by Merck Pharmaceutical Company.

The speakers at the memorial reflected on the multifaceted and memorable relationships they shared with Howett.

Dr. Brian Wigdahl, professor and chair of the department of microbiology and immunology at the Drexel College of Medicine, looked back fondly on Howett's relentless drive and ingenuity.

As a senior faculty member, Dr. Michael O'Connor, associate professor in the department of bioscience and biotechnology, spoke of the integral changes Howett made within the department, and of the fairness and impartiality through which these changes came about.

From a similar perspective, Dr. Aleister Saunders recounted an instance during his time as a junior faculty member where Howett helped guide his professional endeavors, while still respecting him as a peer.

Doctoral Candidate, Veronica Holmes, a member of the department of bioscience and biotechnology, had the opportunity to work under and learn from Howett. Through her reflection on their student-mentor relationship, it was evident that Holmes and Howett were more than just co-workers.

The final speaker, Dr. Sandra Urdaneta Hartmann, participated in research alongside Howett. Inspired by Howett's sense of creativity and understanding, she plans to continue developing their groundbreaking research.

Bringing the ceremony to a close, Dr. Donna Murasko, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and longtime friend of Howett, echoed the sentiments expressed in the previous commentaries. Howett maintained a remarkable balance between work and family, research and management; she was a friend as well as a supervisor to her charges. She prioritized the important things in life, the dean said, and reminded those who had known her to take the time to do the same. Howett's energy and dedication will be sorely missed by the department, the College, and the University as a whole.