2005 Botanical Society Award Recipients

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2005 awards as presented at the Botanical Society of America Banquet held at the Botany 2005 Conference in Austin, Texas. Recognition of and support for the outstanding efforts and contributions to the science of botany are an important part of the role the participating societies play. We thank you for your support of these programs. The awards given this year include:

The Botanical Society of America's MERIT AWARD

The Merit Award is the highest honor given by the Botanical Society of America. It is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the science of botany. This year we are pleased to honor:

Dr. Scott D. Russell, University of Oklahoma

Dr. Scott Russell’s career has been devoted to understanding the morphological, physiological, and developmental aspects of double fertilization in plants, and in particular the structure and behavior of sperm cells during reproduction. Dr. Russell has explored this question using approaches ranging from descriptive works to experimental studies, resulting in over 100 scientific publications. His contributions have reshaped this field and have stimulated research in plant anatomy and morphology for a generation of botanists.

One of his most significant findings is that plant sperm from a single pollen grain are dimorphic, with dissimilar complements of organelles, and that this dimorphism leads to a predictable pattern of fertilization. His research has led to major advances in our understanding of key processes in sexual plant reproduction such as double fertilization and the maternal inheritance of organelles. Dr. Russell also continues to enhance public awareness of botany through his teaching and his informative website.

While the BSA Merit Award to Dr. Russell is based on his significant contributions to botanical science, he also has given generously of his time to the Botanical Society of America, serving as President, Webmaster, and longtime member of the Executive Committee, among other offices. Dr. Russell is most definitely a technically skilled, forward-thinking scholar who has made a lasting mark on botanical science and on the Botanical Society of America. In recognition of his myriad accomplishments, the BSA is proud to present him with a Merit Award.

SPECIAL AWARD
Dr. Linda Graham, BSA Past President

The Botanical Society of America presented a special award to Dr. Linda Graham expressing gratitude and appreciation for outstanding contributions and support for the Society. Linda has provided exemplary contributions to the Society in terms of leadership, time and effort.

SPECIAL AWARD
Dr. Jeffrey Osborn, BSA Immediate Past Program Director, Truman State University

The Botanical Society of America presented a special award to Dr. Jeffrey Osborn expressing gratitude and appreciation for outstanding contributions and support for the Society.

The BSA Graduate Student Research Award including the J. S. Karling Award

The BSA Graduate Student Research Awards support graduate student research and are made on the basis of research proposals and letters of recommendations. Withing the award group is the Karling Graduate Student Research Award. This award was instituted by the Society in 1997 with funds derived through a generous gift from the estate of the eminent mycologist, John Sidney Karling (1897-1994), and supports and promotes graduate student research in the botanical sciences. The 2005 award recipients are:

J. S. Karling Graduate Student Research Award

Daniel Fulop, Harvard University (Supervisor: Elena M. Kramer) - "Integrating phylogeny, biomechanics and pollination ecology in a study of the genus Catasetum (Orchidaceae)"

BSA Graduate Student Research Awards

Michelle Barthet, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Supervisor: Khidir W. Hilu) – “Molecular and Genetic analysis of the matK gene”
Iju Judy Chen, University of Florida (Supervisor: Steven R. Manchester) – “Fossil records and phytogeography of Vitaceae, the grape family”
Susan E. Elliott, Dartmouth College, (Supervisor: Rebecca E. Irwin) – “Distinguishing between pollen-limitation and pollinator-limitation of seed production for the perennial bumblebee-pollinated plant, Delphinium barbeyi (Ranunculaceae)”
Courtney C. Finch, Saint Louis University (Supervisor: Janet C. Barber) – “Pollination Biology and Evolution of the Orchid Genus Thelymitra”
Nicole A. Hardiman, University of Cincinnati, Department of Biological Sciences (Supervisor: Theresa Culley) – “Intra-Specific Hybridization as a Mechanism of Invasiveness in Pyrus calleryana”
Rebecca Hufft, University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Supervisor: Ingrid M. Parker) – “Mechanisms maintaining coexistence of sympatric cytotypes of Arnica cordifolia (Asteraceae)”
Daniel M. Johnson, Wake Forest University, Department of Biology (Supervisor: William K. Smith) – “Evaluation of cloud emersion, acidic deposition, leaf wettability, and cuticle damage in refugial populations of Fraser fir”
Shannon C. K. Straub, Cornell University, Department of Plant Biology and L.H. Bailey Hortorium (Supervisor: Jeff J. Doyle) – “Systematics of Amorpha L. (Fabaceae): phylogenetics, evolution, ecology, and conservation”
Ping Zhou, Duke University, Department of Biology (Supervisor: Jonathan Shaw) – “Evolutionary history and causation of Sphagnum cribrosum “wave form” in North Carolina”

The BSA Young Botanist of the Year Award

The purpose of these awards are to offer individual recognition to outstanding graduating seniors in the plant sciences and to encourage their participation in the Botanical Society of America. The 2005 ward recipients are:

Andrew Bishop, Ohio University, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology
Tanisha Caravello, University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences
Jessica Clopton, University of Connecticut, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Erin E. Culpepper, James Madison University, Department of Biology
Ryan Douglas, Truman State University, Division of Science
Emily Dunn, Truman State University, Division of Science
William Gray, California State University, Chico, Department of Biological Sciences
Karin Isaacson, Barnard College, Department of Biological Sciences
Sarah Israel, Barnard College, Department of Biological Sciences
Nicholas Jensen, University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences
Eric E. Johnson, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Plant Biology Department
Jeffrey Jones, North Carolina State University, Department of Botany
Renee Lopez-Smith, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Plant Biology Department
Kelly A. McGrath, Truman State University, Division of Science
Hanh Nguyen, Truman State University, Division of Science
Sarah M. Shannon, University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences
Jodi Stewart, University of California, Santa Cruz,
Mackenzie L. Taylor, Truman State University, Division of Science
Josef Uyeda, Willamette University
John Withers, Ohio University, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology

Charles Edwin Bessey Award (BSA in association with the Teaching Section and Education Committee) -
Donald Kaplan, University of California, Berkeley

The nomination letters we received indicate that Donald has made a significant impact on the lives of many students whom he taught and supervised during his illustrious career. On behalf of his students and the Botanical Society of America, we are pleased to acknowledge Donald's passion and excellence in teaching botany. We thank him for his inspiration and dedication to our field, and we are proud to place his name on the list of Charles Edwin Bessey Award recipients.

Vernon I. Cheadle Student Travel Awards (BSA in association with the Developmental and Structural Section) -

This award was named in honor of the memory and work of Dr. Vernon I. Cheadle.

Erin Bissell, University of Colorado, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Erika Edwards, Yale University
Anna Jacobsen, Michigan State University, Department of Plant Biology
Cassandra Rogers, Southern Illinois University, Department of Plant Biology

Michael Cichan Award (Paleobotanical Section) -
Ruth A. Stockey, University of Alberta

This award was named in honor of the memory and work of Michael A Cichan, who died in a plane crash in August of 1987. The Award was established to encourage work by young researchers at the interface of structural and evolutionary botany. This award is given to a young scholar for a paper published during the previous year in the fields of evolutionary and/or structural botany. To Ruth Stockey for her paper: “Diversity among taxodioid conifers Metasequoia foxii sp. nov. from the Paleocene of Central Alberta, Canada” with co-authors G.W. Rothwell and A.B. Falder.

Isabel Cookson Award (Paleobotanical Section) -
Stefan A. Little, University of Alberta

The 2005 Isabel Cookson Award, recognizing the best student paper presented in the Paleobotanical Section, is awarded to Stefan A. Little of the University of Alberta, for the paper entitled “A Morphogenetic study of submerged roots and a new type of aquatic bark system (rhytidome) in Decadon allenbyensis from the Middle Eocene Princeton Chert” Co-author was Ruth A. Stockey .

George R. Cooley Award (Systematics Section and the American Society of Plant Taxonomists) -
Christopher Martine, University of Connecticut

George R. Cooley award for best contributed paper in plant systematics. The ASPT's Cooley Award is given for the best paper in systematics given at the annual meeting by a botanist in the early stages of his/her career. Awards are made to members of ASPT who are graduate students or within 5 years of their post-doctoral careers. The Cooley Award is given for work judged to be substantially complete, synthetic and original. First authorship required; graduate students or those within 5 years of finishing their Ph.D. are eligible; must be a member of ASPT at time of abstract submission; only one paper judged per candidate. This year's award was given to Christopher Martine of University of Connecticut for his talk entitled “The evolution and natural history of dioecy in Australian spiny Solanum (Solanaceae)". Co-authors were Gregory J. Anderson, Donald H. Les and David E. Symon

Katherine Esau Award (Developmental and Structural Section) -
Heather Sanders, Ohio University

This award was established in 1985 with a gift from Dr. Esau and is augmented by ongoing contributions from Section members. It is given to the graduate student who presents the outstanding paper in developmental and structural botany at the annual meeting. This year’s award goes to Heather Sanders, from Ohio University, for her paper “Developmental genetics, the fossil record, and the evolution of plant form.” Co-authors were Gar W. Rothwell, and Sarah Wyatt

Lawrence Memorial Award -
Ms. Ricarda Riina, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Lawrence Memorial Fund was established at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, to commemorate the life and achievements of its founding director, Dr. George H. M. Lawrence. Proceeds from the Fund are used to make an annual Award in the amount of $2000 to a doctoral candidate to support travel for dissertation research in systematic botany or horticulture, or the history of the plant sciences. The Lawrence Memorial Award for 2005 goes to Ms. Ricarda Riina, a student of Dr. Paul Berry. For her dissertation research, Ms. Riina has undertaken a study of Croto in the Euhorbiaceae. The proceeds of the Award will help support her travel to Brazil for field research.

Margaret Menzel Award (Genetics Section) -
Mitchell McGlaughlin, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden

The Margaret Menzel Award is presented by the Genetics Section for the outstanding paper presented in the contributed papers sessions of the annual meetings. This year’s award goes to Mitchell McGlaughlin, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden for the paper “Adaptive diversification in Dubautia laxa (Asteraceae), a widespread member of the Hawaiian silversword alliance." Co-author was Elizabeth Friar.

Maynard Moseley Award (Paleobotanical and Developmental and Structural Sections) -
Erika Edwards, Yale University

The Maynard F. Moseley Award was established in 1995 to honor a career of dedicated teaching, scholarship, and service to the furtherance of the botanical sciences. Dr. Moseley, known to his students as “Dr. Mo”, died Jan. 16, 2003 in Santa Barbara, CA, where he had been a professor since 1949. He was widely recognized for his enthusiasm for and dedication to teaching and his students, as well as for his research using floral and wood anatomy to understand the systematics and evolution of angiosperm taxa, especially waterlilies. (PSB, Spring, 2003). The award is given to the best student paper, presented in either the Paleobotanical or Developmental and Structural sessions, that advances our understanding of plant structure in an evolutionary context. This year’s award goes to Erika Edwards, from Yale University , for her paper “Pereskia water relations reflect deep ecophysiological conservatism in Cactaceae.”

Winfried and Renate Remy Award (Paleobotanical Section) -
Dr. William DiMichele, Smithsonian Institution
Robert W. Hook, University of Texas at Austin
W. John Nelson, Illinois State Geological Survey
Dan S. Chaney, Smithsonian Institution

This award was established in 1997 in honor of the life and work of Winfried and Renate Remy. It is given for the best published paper in paleobotany or palynology during the previous year. William A. DiMichele, Robert W. Hook, W. John Nelson and Dan S. Chaney, for their paper: "An unusual Middle Pennsylvanian flora from the Blaine Formation (Pease River Group: Leonardian-Guadalupian Series) of King County, West Texas”

A.J. Sharp Award (Bryological and Lichenological Section) -
Mathew P. Nelson, University of Wisconsin

The A.J. Sharp Award is presented each year by the American Bryological and Lichenological Society and the Bryological and Lichenological Section for the best student presentation. The award, named in honor of the late Jack Sharp, encourages student research on bryophytes and lichens. This year’s A.J. Sharp Award goes to Mathew P. Nelson, University of Wisconsin, for his paper “Photobiont diversity and fungal specificity in the lichen genera Lepraria and Thamnolia.” His co-author was Andrea Gargas.

Edgar T. Wherry Award (Pteridological Section and the American Fern Society) -
James (Eddie) Watkins, University of Florida

The Edgar T. Wherry Award is given for the best paper presented during the contributed papers session of the Pteridological Section. This award is in honor of Dr. Wherry’s many contributions to the floristics and patterns of evolution in ferns. This year’s award goes to James (Eddie) Watkins from the University of Florida, for his paper “Stress physiology of fern gametophytes: consequences for distribution and abundance.”

Developmental & Structural Section Student Travel Awards

As voted upon by the membership of the section in 1996, an annual drive will be initiated to generate contributions from the sectional membership. These support student attendance at the annual meetings of the Botanical Society of America. Donations will be solicited in units equivalent to the current student registration fee (this year, for example, $200). In essence, each contributor will effectively sponsor the attendance of one or more students.

Patrick Hudson
Kevin Kocot
Jill Preston
Heather Sanders
Jennifer Winther

Ecology Section Award, Best Student Presentation -
John Geiger, Florida International University

For his paper “Breeding system investigation of the endangered vine Ipomopa microdactyla Griseb”

Yvonne C. Davila, University of Sydney

For her paper “Does geographic, annual and diurnal variation in pollinator visitation define a generalist-pollinated plant?” Co-author was Glenda M. Wardle

Ecology Section Award, Best Student Poster -
Christopher Martine, University of Connecticut

For his poster “Predicting the next woody invasives in New England: A model-based approach to identifying future threats.” Co-authors were Patrick M. Herron, Andrew M. Latimer, Stacey A. Leicht, and Eric S. Mosher

Genetics Section Student Poster Award -
Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden

The Genetics Section Poster Award is given for the best student poster at the annual meetings.
This year’s award is given to Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden, for the poster “Gene flow, hybridization, and divergence between Hawaiian Dubautia species.” Co-author was Elizabeth Friar

Genetics Section Graduate Student Research Awards -

The 2005 recipients of the Genetics Section Graduate Student Research Awards, each of which provides $500 for research funds and an additional $500 for attendance at a future BSA meeting, are:

Ph.D. Proposal - Nicole Hardiman

, University of Cincinnati

"Intra-specific Hybridization as a Mechanism of Invasiveness for Pyrus calleryana"

M.S. Proposal - Amy Stillman, Boise State University

Chromosome counts in Lepidium papilliferum, a rare endemic of southwestern Idaho

Phycological Section Student Travel Award -
Kevin Kocot, Illinois State University

The Phycological Section Student Travel Award is given for the best student paper presented at the annual meetings.
This year’s award is given to Kevin Kocot, Illinois State University, for the poster “Ultrastructure and Morphology of Development in the Charophycean Green Alga Chaetosphaeridium (Coleochaetales).” Co-authors were Amy M. Betzelberger, Karen F. Doty, and Martha Cook

Physiological Section Student Prizes -
Abdul Razack Mohammad, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station

For his talk “Response of rice tillering to sub-ambient levels of ultraviolet-B radiation." His co-authors were Elliot W. Rounds and Lee Tarpley.

William A. Paddock III, Michigan State University

For his talk “Explaining Patterns of Mortality Following Severe Drought in a Chaparral Shrub Community.” His co-authors were Stephen D. Davis and Frank W. Ewers

Physiological Section Li-Cor Prize -
Claudia Paredes López, Instituto de Ecología

For her talk “Is there predawn disequilibrium between plant and soil water potentials in the mangrove Laguncularia racemosa?" Her co-author was Jorge Lopez-Portillo.