written by J. Peterson Myers, PhD
Founder and Chief Scientist, Environmental Health Sciences, and CHE Advisor
Close friend, mentor, colleague, teacher, co-author, genius scientist, extraordinary communicator Lou Guillette died lat night [Thursday].
I have spent the day in mourning. And it is not about to stop. Lou is the scientist who made alligator micro-penises famous. Who with scientific colleagues brought scientific credibility to endocrine disruption as a major public health issue. Who told congressmen in Congressional testimony (referring to data on major declines in sperm count) “every man in this room is half the man his grandfather was.” Who mentored generations of students of science in that art and craft. Who spent the last several years battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and finally lost to a virus because his immune system was trampled.
But throughout all that turmoil Lou continued his scientific research, undeterred. Lou was a key teacher in helping Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski and me write Our Stolen Future two decades ago. We continued to benefit from his wisdom over all the intervening years. I visited him in March and caught alligators with him and students and his son Matt in South Carolina marshes. He had just agreed to join me and others last week in a new scientific adventure.
Lou, travel well. We owe you. We miss you. You did so much. While we will endeavor to stand on your shoulders, don’t sink into the marsh under our weight. We will use what you accomplished, I promise, to keep climbing higher.
Our Health and Environment Blog 
All are welcome to participate in CHE’s teleconference call on September 16th: Remembering Dr. Louis Guillette: Scientist, Mentor, Teacher, and Environmental Health Leader, http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/17991
Many years ago I emailed Lou about his research on nitrate, and even though he didn’t know me and had no reason to help me, he responded helpfully and linked me up with one of his grad students. (In fact, that student (Thea Edwards, who was on the call), was how I found out about CHE.) Most scientists do not take the time to respond to all the emails they get!