From Plant Press, Vol. 11, No. 3 from July 2008.
In 2003, the National Museum of Natural History began awarding Science Achievement Awards, recognizing exceptional scientific publications in natural history. A maximum of five awards are made in any one calendar year. In close consultation with the Senate of Scientists, an interdisciplinary review committee honored five scientists for their outstanding work this year. Among the 2008 Science Achievement Award winners is Warren Wagner for his paper “Revised Classification of the Onagraceae” (Systematic Botany Monographs 83: 1-240; 2007).
Dan Nicolson was recognized as the annual Distinguished Speaker by the New England Botanical Club. In honor of the recognition, Nicolson gave a lecture “My Beautiful Life” at HarvardUniversity on 4 April.
Nicolson also received the “Award for Distinguished Career in Science” by the Washington Academy of Sciences during the Academy’s annual banquet, held on 6 May at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia. The award certificate that Nicolson received reads “In recognition of his towering accomplishment as a taxonomic botanist and particularly his expertise in the arcane subject of botanical nomenclature.” As an awardee, Nicolson automatically became a fellow of the Academy. The presenter and nominator was Emeritus Curator Stanwyn Shetler, endorsed by Alain Touwaide, immediate Past-President of the Academy.Shetler and Touwaide themselves were awarded for their scientific contribution by the Academy in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Emanuela Appetiti served as banquet committee chair, in charge of organizing the event, which also featured keynote speaker William Fitzhugh, Curator in the Department of Anthropology. Nicolson’s wife Allie, son David, and daughter-in-law Tamar joined in the celebration.
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