Celebrating Govindjee’s 50 years in photosynthesis research and his 75th birthday

Abstract

This volume of Photosynthesis Research is the first of a two-part Special Issue to recognize Govindjee’s many achievements and contributions to the field of photosynthesis. His scientific career has spanned over 50 years and has been characterized by continuous scientific publications and dedication for communicating about photosynthesis to many different audiences including professional scientists, graduate and undergraduate students and the general public. It is difficult to imagine the photosynthesis community without Govindjee. I am fortunate to have been one of his 25 graduate students and I am delighted to have edited this volume. Here, we take the opportunity to celebrate his lifetime achievements on behalf of the photosynthesis community at large. Govindjee received his PhD in biophysics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1960 and thereafter served on the faculty until he became Professor Emeritus in 1999. In recognition of ‘‘Gov’s’’ achievements and acknowledging his love of teaching and education, the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research presented him, on June 16, 2007, its first Lifetime Achievement Award that reads: ‘‘For his scientific achievements, original research in the field of photosynthesis, promotion of photosynthesis research in books and at international conferences and his continuing efforts to document the history of photosynthetic research, as an editor par excellence.’’ Further, the Department of Plant Biology of the University of Illinois administers an Annual Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee Award for Excellence in Biological Sciences. The text on Govindjee, written by the Head of the Department of Plant Biology, Evan DeLucia, reads as follows: