The Botanical Society of America (BSA) has honored Institute of Ecosystem Studies President and Director Dr. Gene E. Likens and Senior Staff Scientist Dr. Steward T.A. Pickett with Centennial Awards. The awards recognize and celebrate the contributions that the researchers have made to plant sciences. They will be conferred this week at the society's annual meeting in Chico, California.
In the words of BSA President Dr. Edward Schneider, "Plant sciences have evolved a great deal over the past 100 years. Our Centennial Award recipients have played a critical role in this evolution. As a major scientific society, we appreciate and applaud their efforts."
Dr. Likens is the founding Director of the Institute of Ecosystems Studies and a guiding force in finding solutions to complex environmental problems, such as pollution and deforestation. He is best known for his pioneering research on acid rain, conducted as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study. A recipient of the 2002 National Medal of Science, his findings have helped inform national legislation, including the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
Established in 1983 as division of the New York Botanical Garden, the Institute of Ecosystem Studies became an independent not-for-profit in 1993. In a little over two decades, Dr. Likens transformed the organization into one of the largest ecological programs in the world. The Institute is now a global leader in long-term research on freshwater ecology, forest health, disease ecology, biogeochemistry, and urban ecology.
Before founding the Institute, Dr. Likens was on the faculty at Cornell University and Dartmouth College. He received his undergraduate education from Manchester College, and both his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. His professional accolades include elected membership in the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
Dr. Pickett joined the Institute of Ecosystems Studies staff in 1983. His research on how patterns of variation in habitat influence ecological communities has taken him from vacant lots in urban Baltimore to the grassy savannahs of South Africa's Kruger National Park. The Project Director of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, he is a leader in the discipline of urban ecology. His research is helping to inform the management and restoration of human-modified landscapes.
Prior to coming to the Institute, Dr. Pickett was on the faculty at Rutgers University. He received his undergraduate education from the University of Kentucky at Lexington and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana. His distinctions include elected membership in the American Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Drs. Likens and Pickett are honored to be selected as Centennial Award recipients and look forward to continuing their contributions to understanding the botanical world.
For more information, visit the following links--
Dr. Gene E. Likens:
http://www.ecostudies.org/people_sci_likens.html
The Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study:
http://www.hubbardbrook.org/
Dr. Steward T.A. Pickett:
http://www.ecostudies.org/people_sci_pickett.html
The Baltimore Ecosystem Study:
http://www.beslter.org/