Students at two very different Harvard Schools æ the Medical School and the Kennedy School of Government -- have something in common: both will benefit from new funding for research and activities from endowments established by the late Dr. William A. Starr.

A journalist, lawyer, film critic and film society president, teacher, and adviser to the United Nations, Starr lived in New York City, and was committed to both advancing biomedical science and research and promoting scholarship and outreach on public policy and journalism issues. Starr, together with Armand G.R. Conant, a close friend of Starr and trustee of the Starr Trusts, worked closely with Harvard officials to determine the best use of Starr's gifts.

"Bill Starr was interested in medical research and was an advocate of new methods of biomedical science and medical advancement," said Conant. "He was equally passionate about government policy analysis, journalism, and particularly media reporting on government policy."

Starr wanted to help students who are committed to advancing research and scholarship in areas of biomedicine and public policy through out-of-the-box thinking, nonconventional reasoning, and the challenging of established concepts and ideas.

The William A. Starr Fellowship Fund for Harvard Ph.D. Students at the Forefront of Biomedical Research at the Medical School is to support students' work on cutting-edge research of such things as gene therapy, neurogenetics, genomics, and other areas of human biology of disease, particularly where those research projects might not otherwise qualify for traditional funding.

"Starr always wanted to know why we couldn't move more quickly to cure disease," said Thomas O. Fox, associate professor of neuroscience in the Department of Neurology and director of graduate studies in the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard Medical School. "He wanted to encourage research students to push the envelope and think about biomedical science in completely different ways."

Dean of Harvard Medical School Joseph B. Martin expressed his gratitude for the fellowship fund. "We are very thankful for this gift that will help support students carrying out innovative and exciting research projects at the forefront of biomedical science," Martin said.

The William A. Starr Innovations Fund, established by Starr's gift to the Kennedy School, complements Starr's longstanding commitment to fostering a more informed government public policy as a force for societal change. Dean Joseph S. Nye Jr. said, "Our commitment to preparing leaders to effect change in the government and other institutions recognizes Dr. Starr's wish to challenge the status quo through innovative leadership and public service."

The purpose of Starr's Innovations Fund is to advance and promote creative, cutting-edge teaching, research, scholarship, and outreach in public policy and journalism. Support will be available to students interested in such issues as journalism, criminal justice, handgun violence, judicial reform, press and politics, government policy, international diplomacy, and the United Nations.

"This program will support students and faculty working to promote creative solutions in the areas of policy analysis, public service, and journalism," said Dean Nye. "Students searching for support of research or progressive program development now have increased opportunities to continue their work in this field."

Conant elaborated on Starr's motivations at a Jan. 21 reception celebrating these recently established endowments: "At both schools, Bill wanted to benefit students (and to some degree, faculty members) who are involved in, and are adventuresome enough to undertake groundbreaking, cutting-edge research." Starr hoped his support would help lead to new solutions and ideas to benefit humanity, Conant added.

"Bill was drawn to Harvard and felt a close affinity to it," he continued, "both because of its high quality of education and Bill's historical family connection." Starr family ties to the University extend back more than 375 years to Harvard's earliest days.

Dr. Comfort Starr brought his family from Kent, England, to New Towne (now Cambridge), where he reestablished his surgery practice in 1635. According to family history, Dr. Starr's house became the home of Nathaniel Eaton and served in 1639 as the site where Harvard College instruction began.

The Rev. Comfort Starr, one of Dr. Comfort Starr's nine children, was the first family member to graduate from the College (in 1647), and is one of five Fellows named in the Harvard College Charter of 1650, the document that officially incorporated the school.

Conant also has extended family ties to Harvard, making his involvement in this project even more personally rewarding. Through the Canadian branch of the family, he is related to President James Bryant Conant, Harvard's 23rd president.