Professor Emeritus Richard Castenholz Honored with 2009 Porter Award
On Sunday, November 9th, Professor Emeritus Richard Castenholz was notified that he won the U.S. Federation for Culture Collections/J. Roger Porter Award for 2009 (Sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology). This award recognizes outstanding efforts by a scientist who has demonstrated the importance of microbial biodiversity through sustained curatorial or stewardship activities for a major resource used by the scientific community. Such resources may include collections of cells or microorganisms, databases or tools, or major reference works or services as an essential aspect of either one or more major publications or an extensive work effort. The nominees will have greatly aided other scientists by demonstrating the fundamentals of culture collections and related resources and the rich biodiversity that such collections preserve. The award honors the memory of Dr. Porter and his remarkable contributions to science.
Established by 59 scientists in 1899, The American Society of Microbiology (ASM) now has over 43,000 members. It is the oldest and largest single life science membership organization in the world. The J. Roger Porter award is administered by ASM for the United Federation of Culture Collections. J. Roger Porter (1909-1979) was on the Microbiology faculty of the University of Iowa from 1938-1977. His book, Bacterial Chemistry and Physiology (1946), was an important reference for many years and it remains a classic in Microbiology. Dr. Porter also served on many governmental panels, was on the editorial board of the CBE style manual, President of the American Society of Microbiology, and Head of the Microbiology Deptartment at Iowa from 1949-1977.
Professor Castenholz curates the Culture Collection for Microbes from Extreme Environments (CCMEE). This collection includes some 1000+ strains of cyanobacteria and other microbes from hot springs, hypersaline environments, hypereutrophic environments, desert crusts, and polar regions. Professor Castenholz and his students isolated many of these organisms, and the collection was formally established when NASA provided funds to combine his collection with that of the great microbial ecologist Imre Friedman in 1999. The CCMEE routinely provides cultures to researchers all over the world for phylogenetic, physiological, and genetic studies. Professor Castenholz is the author of many papers, a former member of the Bergey's Trust, and editor of Volume One of the second Edition of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology.
Professor Castenholz will present the Roger Porter Award Lecture at the ASM meetings in Philadelphia, May 13-16, take part in an honorary dinner, and will receive travel and residency expenses for the meeting and a cash prize of $2000.