Noting the abundance of groundbreaking biomedical discoveries since her graduation from Mount Holyoke 20 years ago, Waterman had a special message for those graduating with degrees in her field.

"This great biomedical revolution will go down in history as having the same level of impact on our quality of life as did the great Industrial Revolution of the second half of the 1800s," she said. "To all of you in the class of 2009 embarking today on your postgraduate lives, you will enjoy the benefits of this great biomedical revolution as the healthiest, longest living, and, hopefully, happiest and most productive generation ever."