Robert Marston Science Library

Robert Marston Science Library. . Born in 1923, Robert Quaries Marston was raised and educated in Virginia. At only 20 he earned a bachelor's degree from the Virginia Military Institute, followed by an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia. A Rhodes Scholar, he distinguished himself through his explorations into the role of infection after whole body irradiation. Thanks to his stellar research skills, Marston was awarded a Markle Foundation grant for gifted practitioners; this led to appointments on the faculties of the Medical College of Virginia and the University of Minnesota. He was well-known for his successful oversight of the desegregation of the medical center at the University of Mississippi. As the medical school's director and dean, he set new national standards for the peaceful integration of academic health centers. In 1974, Dr. Marston brought his commitment to academic research to the University of Florida when he became the University's seventh president. During his presidency, the University enjoyed significant growth in academic quality, research activity, and reputation. Thanks in no small part to his efforts, the University of Florida is now one of the three most academically comprehensive universities in the nation. Dr. Marston's commitment to the student population of UF endured even after his retirement in 1984, as he returned to the faculty to work with graduate students and presented papers on medicine, fisheries, and aquaculture. He passed away in Gainesville on March 14, 1999.

The Marston Science Library was founded in 1987 in recognition of Dr. Marston's generous contributions to the University. It is well known for the sculpture "Alachua," which decorates the building's southwest corner.