John Boyer, E.I. DuPont Professor of Biochemistry/Biophysics Emeritus, received the Charles Reid Barnes Life Membership Award and the Fellow of ASPB Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) earlier this year. The awards were presented at the society’s annual meeting, held jointly with the Botanical Society of America, the American Fern Society and the American Society of Plant Taxonomists in Chicago.
Established in 1925, the Charles Reid Barnes Life Membership Award recognizes meritorious work in plant biology by an individual who is at least 60 years old. The Fellow of ASPB award, established in 2007, is given in recognition of distinguished and long-term contributions to plant biology and service to the society by current members in areas that include research, education, mentoring, outreach, and professional and public service.
Boyer is known nationally for his numerous contributions to the body of research on plant-water relations and crop adaptation to drought with a focus on the impact of water deficits on growth, photosynthesis and reproductive development. During his career, he mentored more than 40 doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers and published more than 160 papers in refereed literature.