During his long career he was a professor at Indiana University, MIT, Johns Hopkins University, a Vice President of The National Academy of Sciences, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the American Philosophical Society, President of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (1978–1987), and President and Director of The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts where he and his wife Alma had remained in some capacity for over fifty years. At one time or another he headed or sat on the board of nearly every organization that contributed to developmental biology. His interests were not limited to biology, however.
During his extensive career, he served as a professor at Indiana University, MIT, Johns Hopkins University; Vice President of The National Academy of Sciences; member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society; President of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (1978–1987); and President and Director of The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He was a part of nearly every organization contributing to developmental biology at some point.