"He certainly has to have-he or she-a science background, or, enough of a science background to know how important it is to really push forward in that area," Stone said at the time.

An Economist's Priorities

Stone's quote, which caused widespread speculation at the time, seemed to favor Harvard Provost Harvey V. Fineberg `67, former dean of the School of Public Health and the highest-ranking scientist in the Rudenstine administration.

But Summers got the job in the end. And although his background is in social science--albeit a kind of social science heavy on mathematics--both former colleagues and people within the Harvard faculty and administration stress that Summers can and should focus much of his attention on promoting scientific research.

"He understands that in this world the economy is being driven by science," says Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Barry Bloom. "I have a hunch he understands that very well."

According to Bloom, top priorities that Summers could help address at the HSPH include fostering a multi-disciplinary approach to public health and providing larger amounts of scholarship money to students from developing nations. With his experience in international finance, Summers is well-placed to understand the economic issues that often complicate problems of public health.

But of all the Harvard schools, HSPH may be the one that Summers has to court the most to win over the hearts and minds of its administration and faculty. For one, Fineberg, the former dean of the school and a three-decade veteran of the University, was one of Summers' final competitors for the presidency.

"There is a sense of loss in that Harvey was an extraordinary human being," says Bloom. "An awful lot of people hoped he would become president."