John W.C. Bird was professor emeritus and Director of the Physiology Department, Biology Department, also served on the faculty of the Rutgers Medical School and coordinated Rutgers' efforts to recruit Black students into the sciences. Dr. Bird successfully obtained several patents in Rutgers’ name, as well as receiving many important grants to fund research at Rutgers. His achievements included being awarded three Fulbright scholarships and being among the earliest scholars to teach in China during its academic expansion. Collaborating with Nobel Prize winner Christian DeDuve in Brussels, he played a pivotal role in the fight against Muscular Dystrophy. Moreover, his expertise led to frequent appearances on the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon.
Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/john-bird-obituary?id=38717282
