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Bio
The Michigan Alumnus 542
Look at the lowly cranberry. He is a fellow of more importance than you imagine; in fact, he is so important that the matter of his respiration—oh, yes, he breathes—is a subject for delicate and patient research on the part of an eminent scientist, Professor Herbert F. Bergman, Exchange Professor of Bot any, from the University of Hawaii.
The interviewer found Professor Bergman surrounded by cranberries and laboratory equipment. Through the use of chemical reactions he was watching several varieties of berries respire, determining the rates of their respiration in successive states of preservation. Now the cranberry does not breathe in a breath and then breathe out a breath; he goes us one better in that respect, for he does both at once all the time. And upon the violence of his breathing depends his ability to keep out of the garbage can. The slower he can breathe the longer he can keep out. Therefore it is important to study his respiration, as well as the respiration of other fruits; and it is this sort of study that Professor Bergman is primarily engaged in. In addition to research in university laboratories, he was with the United States Bureau of Plant Industry from 1917 to 1919 working on problems of spoilage of fruits in trans portation and storage.
Professor Bergman received his edu cation at the Kansas State Agricultural College, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Minnesota, taking the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. from Minne sota. He has taught in the Kansas State Agricultural College, in the North Dakota Agricultural College, at the University of Minnesota and at the University of Hawaii. At present he is exchange pro fessor with Professor J. B. Pollock, who is now in Honolulu.
In addition to doing research work steadily since he became a teacher, Pro fessor Bergman has contributed constant ly to the literature of botany, publish ing in various mediums. Michigan is indeed fortunate in his sojourn upon her Campus.