Tribute: J. Bennett Johnston

The J. Bennett Johnston Quadrangle, bordered by a grove of native plants and trees, is nestled among Tulane’s science and engineering buildings on the uptown campus. On the downtown campus, the J. Bennett Johnston Health and Research Building — commonly referred to as the JBJ — is one of Tulane’s premier research centers.

Johnston, who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate from 1972 to 1996, was widely known for his impact on energy policy as well as initiatives to fund environmental and biomedical research.

In 1986, Johnston was awarded an honorary Tulane degree at that year’s Commencement. At the ceremony, he was cited for his ability to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and for his popularity among constituents, who had given him 84 percent of the vote in the most recent election.

In 1992, Tulane named the Health and Environmental Research Building, then under construction, for Johnston, whose interest in research led to the creation of the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research. Tulane’s then-President Eamon Kelly credited Johnston with securing $33 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Defense to make the center a reality.

“Thanks to Bennett Johnston’s vision, approximately 50 researchers — basic scientists, physicians, pharmacologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, engineers and specialists in health education — today have a mechanism to engage in a unique collaborative effort to solve the complex environmental problems that plague our world,” Kelly said at the building’s dedication.

In 2001, the J. Bennett Johnston Bioenvironmental Sciences Quadrangle was dedicated along with the Merryl and Sam Israel Jr. Environmental Sciences Building, the Robert E. Flowerree III Courtyard and the W. M. Keck Instrument Room in the Israel building.

During the dedication, a large marker was unveiled naming the quadrangle in honor of Johnston. Several nearby buildings were either constructed or renovated with funds that Johnston helped Tulane obtain during his Senate career.

“The seeds that we planted have sprouted into mighty oaks,” Johnston said at the ceremony. “My association with this university has been one of the crowning delights of my political career.”

A plaque on the quadrangle praises Johnston for his “unwavering commitment to improving scientific research and education in the State of Louisiana and at Tulane University.” It expresses appreciation for Johnston’s efforts on behalf of what was then the most significant growth of scientific infrastructure in Tulane’s history.