09-08-93 Gary Floyd Wins Award


GARY FLOYD AWARDED DARBAKER PRIZE

     COLUMBUS --  Gary L. Floyd, dean of the College of
Biological Sciences at The Ohio State University, was awarded the
prestigious Darbaker Prize at the recent national meeting of the
Botanical Society of America in Ames, Iowa.

     The award recognized Floyd for both "meritorious work in the
study of microscopic algae" and numerous significant
contributions to phycological research on microscopic algae and
to education in phycology (the study of algae).

     The Darbaker Prize has been given annually since 1955 to
phycologists who are at the top of their field and whose
published papers during the past two years are judged
outstanding.

     Floyd, of UPPER ARLINGTON, has been a faculty member in the
Department of Plant Biology (formerly Botany) since 1975 and dean
of the College of Biological Sciences since 1989.  He continues
to teach both graduate and undergraduate classes and to conduct a
highly productive research program.

     He earned his bachelor's degree in the State College of Iowa
(now the University of Northern Iowa) in 1962, his master's
degree at the University of Oklahoma, and his doctorate at Miami
University.

     Floyd does research on the systematics and evolution of
green algae, including forerunners to land plants.  Most of his
work has involved using an electron microscope to examine
cellular details of the reproductive and motile cells of green
algae.  In recent years, he has begun to use molecular techniques
to explore these areas in collaboration with Paul Fuerst,
associate professor of molecular genetics.

     Peter Siver of Connecticut College and member of the
Darbaker Prize Selection Committee said, "Many of the past
winners of this award were pioneers in the field.  It is very
competitive.  Gary Floyd could have won any time in the last 15
years.  He has done some really fine work."

     Floyd is one of the few people to have won both of Ohio
State's most prestigious faculty awards -- the Alumni Award for
Distinguished Teaching in 1980 and the Distinguished Scholar
Award in 1982.

     Floyd acknowledged the valuable role played by his
collaborators: Shin Watanabee of Japan, Lee Wilcox of Wisconsin,
Paul Fuerst of Ohio State, Dorothy Chappell of Wheaton College,
Charles O'Kelly of New Hampshire, and Louise Lewis of Duke
University.
                                #

Contact: Gary Floyd, 292-1627.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Wed, 08 Sep 93 13:16:13 EST]
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