Judy and George: A Love Story

Dear Chemistry Colleagues,

Last week I got to attend my first in-person meeting in eighteen months. I was in Telluride Colorado for the workshop on RNA Dynamics. One evening, I participated in the Town Talk on “Serendipity in science: Why basic science matters and how developments in molecular biology prepare us for the unknown to come.” I was joined by our own Scott Showalter and by Kathleen Hall at Washington University, St. Louis. There were about seventy-five people in attendance, including lay people and scientists. However, what I want to write about is the journalists who interviewed us. These were retired and award-winning journalists, Judy Muller and George Lewis. Judy and George sat to my right and Kathi and Scott to my left. I was immediately put at ease by Judy and George and also struck by their professionalism. I didn’t fully understand at that time how distinguished they are. Judy was a correspondent for ABC News and contributed to Nightline and World News Tonight, as well as NPR’s Morning Edition. George worked for NBC News for over forty years and contributed to NBC Nightly News and was a war correspondent during the Vietnam War.

After the Town Talk, we went out to dinner with Judy and George, and I got to know them better. Judy sat next to me at the table and George across from her. Both of them are in their seventies now and ‘retired’; they live on a large ranch in a nearby town. I felt that they were still young in heart and spirit. They shared stories about their passions and lives. Judy is an avid fly fisher and showed me photos of the trout she had recently caught on trips on the nearby Dolores River. George talked about his joy of living on the ranch and with Judy. They recently married after being lifelong friends and professional rivals, George at NBC and Judy at ABC. Coming out of the pandemic, where many people have felt isolated and alone, it was deeply enriching to see a couple so young at heart, deeply curious, and newly in love. I enjoyed going to the Telluride workshop for many reasons—great science, seeing old colleagues and friends, and hiking in the beautiful mountains—but perhaps the biggest surprise of all was making new friends in Judy and George. As we start to ease out of the pandemic, I’m looking forward to these personal interactions to pique my own curiosity and zest for science and life.



(Epilogue: Judy and George are making a podcast of the discussion, which I’ll share.)  



Best Regards,

Phil