Ram Dixit, a renowned scientist who studies how plants evolve over time, has been named the George and Charmaine Mallinckrodt Professor in biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. A ceremony took place Oct. 7.
The program included an introduction from Joseph Jez, the Spencer T. Olin Professor of Biology, and remarks from Philip Mallinckrodt, the son of George and Charmaine Mallinckrodt. Mallinckrodt shared that his father was a “humanist, a lover of nature, a man of faith, a great listener, a globalist, and a man of deep respect for education, research and science.”
Feng Sheng Hu, the Richard G. Engelsmann Dean of Arts & Sciences and the Lucille P. Markey Distinguished Professor, installed Dixit, whom he praised for helping to expand WashU’s leading biology department, where he serves as chair.
Hu said Dixit “embodies the collaborative cross-disciplinary spirit of Arts & Sciences.”
“Ram has become known for finding partnerships that advance discovery by working across fields, institutes and schools,” he added.
Dixit studies the molecular machinery for plant cell wall construction and how it evolved over time.
The professorship was established in September 2013 by the London-based Mallinckrodt Foundation to recognize excellence in the field of plant biology. George and Charmaine Mallinckrodt intended to honor this area of study, which they considered vital to feeding billions of people worldwide while also safeguarding a sustainable environment.
