In 1890, the Biological Laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor welcomed its first students for a course in biology. Soon after, research in the new field of genetics placed the Laboratory at the forefront of research and education for the next century and beyond. This timeline highlights the directors of the predecessor institutes of the contemporary Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a preeminent international research institution achieving breakthroughs in molecular biology and genetics and enhancing scientific knowledge worldwide.
![photo of Bruce Stillman](images/BruceStillman.jpg)
Bruce Stillman
President and Chief Executive Officer, 2003 – present
Director and Chief Executive Officer, 1994 – 2003
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
1994
1994
![photo of James Watson](images/JamesWatson.jpg)
1968
1968
![photo of John Cairns](images/JohnCairns.jpg)
1963
1973
1973
![](images/AlfredHershey.jpg)
1963
![photo of H. Edwin Umbarger](images/EdwinUmbarger.jpg)
1962
1962
1962
![photo of Arthur Chovnick](images/ArthurChovnick.jpg)
![photo of Berwind Kaufmann](images/BerwindKaufmann.jpg)
1960
1960
1960
![photo of Millislav Demerec](images/MillislavDemerec.jpg)
![photo of Millislav Demerec](images/MillislavDemerec.jpg)
1941
1941
1941
![photo of Eric Ponder](images/EricPonder.jpg)
![photo of Albert F. Blakeslee](images/AlbertBlakeslee.jpg)
1936
1936
![photo of Reginald G. Harris](images/ReginaldHarris.jpg)
1924
1934
![photo of Charles B. Davenport](images/CharlesDavenport.jpg)
Charles B. Davenport
Director
1910 – 1934, Eugenics Record Office
1904 – 1934, Carnegie Institute of Washington
1924
![photo of Charles B. Davenport](images/CharlesDavenport.jpg)
1898
1897
1897
![photo of Herbert W. Conn](images/Herbert_William_Conn.jpg)
1891
1891
![photo of Bashford Dean](images/BashfordDean.jpg)