Arthur Wald

== Arthur Wald ==
Arthur James Sullivan Wald was an American microbiologist and genetic engineer who worked with Michael Sisk in the 1990s.
== Early Life ==
Arthur Sullivan was born 15 January, 1958, in Oxford, Michigan, to a large and poor family. Sullivan was the youngest of five older siblings- Mary, born 1947, Robert, born 1949, Katherine, born 1951, Daniel, born 1954, and Emilia, born 1956. Sullivan's father, Johnathan, was born around 1926 in a farming family, but joined the Marine Corps in 1944 and was deployed to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. He served in the Battle of Iwo Jima, and at some point, killed an enemy officer and obtained a katana that he kept as a war trophy. After being discharged in 1946, Sullivan married and moved to Oxford, Michigan, in hopes of better career opportunities.
Arthur Sullivan grew to despise his family. He resented the conservative culture his parents and siblings forced onto him, and found himself constantly clashing with them. His father held Arthur and his brothers to a high standard, and Arthur's brothers, much older than him, helped make sure that standard was seen in Arthur. Hunting, physical prowess, fighting, and hard labor were all emphasized in the household above all else. The patriarch believed fighting to the top was the only way to succeed. Arthur hated this. From a very young age, Arthur was forced to work in his fathers' automotive factory. Despite the harsh work, he first gained an appreciation for engineering and mechanics from this.
While in elementary school, the Space Race was in full swing, which heavily inspired Arthur. He excelled in his classes with little studying, and in Middle School, took a keen interest in chemistry, fueled by a supportive science teacher. However, his father discovered his interest and destroyed his notes, artwork, and books. Arthur never forgave his father for this. In 1969, Arthur's oldest brother Robert, was killed in Vietnam. Once Arthur was in 9th grade, Arthur abandoned his home in the middle of the night. He stole his father's katana from the fireplace mantel, and took a Springfield 30-06 rifle as well.
After wandering for a few years, Wald found himself in Massachusetts. He was forced to attain a GED rather than a proper diploma, which didn't put him on the radar for any prestigious universities. He worked as a machinist while attending a community college, and later worked as an arborist, where he gained an appreciation for biology. After acquiring his bachelors with above-average grades, he piqued the interest of an MIT professor who helped him gain a scholarship. He attained his Doctorate in Biochemistry, and his thesis statement became well known among his peers.