Abstract
Val H. Smith, died at age 65 of cancer on April 2, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, his daughters, Niki and Rosie, his sister, Bridget, and his father, Fray. Val will also be dearly missed by his friends, students, trainees, colleagues, and collaborators.
Val was a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas for 23 years, and was a member of the Industrial Biotechnology Editorial Board. Val generously contributed his time, knowledge, passion, and invaluable expertise to IB as a reviewer and editor. He served as Guest Editor of two In Depth special issues of IB, June 2014 and August 2015, focused on advances in algae-based research and commercial developments.
Earning Bachelor's degrees in biology and chemistry from University of Kansas, where he also met his wife, Val then went to Rutgers University to complete a Master's degree, and then on to the University of Minnesota to earn a doctorate. He completed his postdoctoral research at McGill University in Montreal and was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina and a visiting scientist at the University of Montreal before returning to University of Kansas in 1993.
Val leaves behind a scientific legacy of many papers on aquatic ecology, biofuels, and the ecology of infectious diseases. The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography recognized his paper on the influence of nitrogen and phosphorus ratios on the proliferation of blue-green algae as one of the most influential in the field of aquatic science during the 20th century. He also was involved in a major effort to develop algal biofuels as part of University of Kansas's multidisciplinary Feedstock to Tailpipe Initiative. In 2015, a one-day symposium in his honor drew aquatic ecologists from 15 North American universities and research stations to University of Kansas to discuss topics like algal blooms in coastal zones, the effect of invasive zebra mussels on reservoirs, boreal lakes, and climate change.
Val is remembered as an engaging speaker and was honored with teaching awards during his years of service.
Remarking on Val's energy, passion, and, brilliance, one colleague has said, “Val was an amazing human being, in addition to a great scientist. His peers are going to miss that crazy way he could connect data points and that great twinkle in his eye whenever he realized that he had just solved the problem!”
We, the editorial team, will miss Val immensely, and we celebrate his engaging and impactful life journey!