Oral History

Highlights from the oral history interview with Ellen Gritz.

"Well, the most recent one that has been extraordinarily wonderful was the Alma Dea Morani Renaissance Woman Award, because it represented not only outstanding accomplishments in medicine or science, it also represented diversity of accomplishments in life. And tribute to those other accomplishments. And in my heart of hearts, I’ve always considered myself a renaissance woman. But the term renaissance woman is one that’s often frowned upon. It’s equated with a gadabout, and somebody who isn’t focused, and other terms similar to that, when in reality, I’ve always thought that the renaissance was a time of extraordinary flourishing of the sciences, the arts, culture, personality. And that that was something that should be emulated, not decried. So when I was selected for that award, it just like blew me out of the water, so to speak. I mean it was one of the most wonderful things that could happen to me…. And there isn’t any other award like it. I mean it’s really astonishingly unique. I mean, I have had other awards for accomplishment from my professional societies, and they’re very -- each one of them is very meaningful, the Institute Of Medicine is very meaningful, to be put among that premier group of intellects that goes all the way across the sciences, public health, and medicine, is an astonishing experience. But it doesn’t have the roundedness that Alma Dea Morani does."

- Ellen R. Gritz, on the awards she has received that are most special to her

For the complete audio of the oral history, click here and scroll down to the playlist.

For a full transcript of this oral history, click here.