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Remembering Milton Sommerfeld (1940-2017)
Algal Research 25 (2017) 576–577
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Algal Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/algal
Remembering Milton Sommerfeld (1940-2017)
Dr. Milton Sommerfeld passed away on May 16, 2017 at his home in Chandler, Arizona. Milt was first and foremost a teacher. He earned his B.S. in Biology from Texas State College in San Marcos in 1962 then taught high school for one year before attending a summer course for teachers at the University of Texas. During this course, Milt was encouraged by Harold Bold and Wayne Nichols to pursue his PhD. which prompted Milt to enter the program and earn his PhD. in Botany from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1968. Later that same year, Milt would begin a long and highly productive career at Arizona State University. He earned full professor status by 1978 and later served eight years as Chair of the Botany and Microbiology Department and fifteen years as Associate Dean of Research and Facilities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All the while, Milt maintained a very active research program. In 2010, Milt established the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) at the ASU Polytechnic Campus with the help of his one-time postdoc and long-time collaborator Qiang Hu, many colleagues and funding from the Science Foundation of Arizona. AzCATI is now the world’s largest outdoor academic algal testbed with nearly 20,000 sq. ft. of adjacent laboratory space to facilitate the integration of lab and field research in algal biology and engineering. Milt brought dedication, humor and insight to the ASU community and leadership for the DOE-funded Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership (ATP3) right up to the end of his life. 1. A focus on teaching and hands-on learning Milt was in his preferred element whenever he had the opportunity to extoll the virtues of algae to students from 5 to 85 years of age. The teaching venues ranged from church workshops directed at K-12 students and their parents to ATP3 workshops conveying much more technical content to algae industry professionals. Despite his many accomplishments and duties Milt’s efforts never stopped revolving around teaching students of all ages. Milt mentored over 75 students with advanced degrees including 35 M.S., 11 Ph.D. and 25 postdoctoral students during his tenure. Many went on to productive careers in academia, industry and medicine. Milt also excelled as a researcher, ending his career with 317 publications and presentations. He was the lead investigator or co-investigator on 111 grants and projects totaling over $33 million. In addition to being the consummate teacher, three words immediately come to mind when describing Dr. Milton Sommerfeld: Opportunity, Accessibility and Perseverance. Dr. Sommerfeld provided academic and research opportunities to countless students during his career at ASU. Many involved special projects for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. He was always eager to give students the opportunity to experience research in a hands-on manner. Milt welcomed any student with a desire to work in his laboratory. He encouraged his students to rise to a level of excellence commensurate with their full potential. Students were supported with full access to resources, collegiality and Dr. Sommerfeld’s time and knowledge. He understood the importance of providing his students and colleagues the opportunity to explore different approaches to answering scientific questions and the value of student presentations at professional conferences. Milt also encouraged his students with unique academic field trips and visits to other research laboratories nationally and internationally. Throughout his tenure as Associate Dean he continued to hold regular lab meetings with his students and encouraged frequent visits to his office. His commitment to undergraduate and graduate education and research was complemented by his enthusiasm and wonderful sense of humor. It was not uncommon for a three-hour phycology lab to last four or five hours due to student interest in the subject. 2. Taking the long view of research and discovery Perseverance was one of Dr. Sommerfeld’s most admirable character traits. Milt began and finished his academic research career with grants from Salt River Project (SRP), a large Arizona public utility. In 1968, he began conducting research on the influence of pumped-storage reservoir operation on primary productivity and water quality in SRP’s reservoirs. Milt’s final research project examining algal bioremediation of SRP power plant discharge waters concludes this June. Following the Arab Oil Embargo of the 1970s, his laboratory was among the first in the world to conduct research on renewable alternative liquid fuels from microalgae. This work yielded a variety of algal strains still in use and foundational insights in the biofuels arena. Milt adapted his research to the exploration of algal water chemistry, water quality monitoring and evaluation of algal wastewater treatment options after the initial biofuel research funding was suspended in the early 1990s. He continued biofuels research on a relatively small scale over the next 15 years maintaining that large-scale algae cultivation would ultimately have a tremendous positive economic impact on the world. Due to Milt’s perseverance, his vision became a reality with AzCATI, the leading academic algal testbed in the world. The AzCATI testbed was the initial launch point for Heliae Development, now located in nearby Gilbert Arizona and owned by the Mars family of candy bar fame. Researchers and collaborators from around the world continue to visit AzCATI and conduct collaborative research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.07.019
2211-9264/
Algal Research 25 (2017) 576–577
3. Honors and Awards In addition to Milt’s many positive personal attributes, many awards were also bestowed upon him during his career. He was named Innovator of the Year in 2007 by Arizona Technology Enterprises and Arizona State University. In 2008, Time Magazine named his work and algae-based biofuels facility as the 11th best invention. Milt was awarded the Governor's Celebration of Excellence Award for Innovation in 2009 followed by the Arizona Award for Research Excellence by the Arizona Technology Council in 2010. In 2011, the Arizona State University Alumni Association presented Milt with the Award for Faculty Achievement in Research. Finally, in 2012, AzCATI was awarded the Leader of the Year in Technology by the Arizona Capital Times newspaper. Perhaps less formal, but just as prestigious, Milt became known as the “Wizard of Ooze” among his students and colleagues. Milton Sommerfeld is survived by his wife Carolyn, son Milton Jr., daughter Julia and four grandchildren. Thomas A. Dempster, Peter J. Lammers, John A. McGowen Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ
577
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Algal Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/algal
Remembering Milton Sommerfeld (1940-2017)
Dr. Milton Sommerfeld passed away on May 16, 2017 at his home in Chandler, Arizona. Milt was first and foremost a teacher. He earned his B.S. in Biology from Texas State College in San Marcos in 1962 then taught high school for one year before attending a summer course for teachers at the University of Texas. During this course, Milt was encouraged by Harold Bold and Wayne Nichols to pursue his PhD. which prompted Milt to enter the program and earn his PhD. in Botany from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1968. Later that same year, Milt would begin a long and highly productive career at Arizona State University. He earned full professor status by 1978 and later served eight years as Chair of the Botany and Microbiology Department and fifteen years as Associate Dean of Research and Facilities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All the while, Milt maintained a very active research program. In 2010, Milt established the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) at the ASU Polytechnic Campus with the help of his one-time postdoc and long-time collaborator Qiang Hu, many colleagues and funding from the Science Foundation of Arizona. AzCATI is now the world’s largest outdoor academic algal testbed with nearly 20,000 sq. ft. of adjacent laboratory space to facilitate the integration of lab and field research in algal biology and engineering. Milt brought dedication, humor and insight to the ASU community and leadership for the DOE-funded Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership (ATP3) right up to the end of his life. 1. A focus on teaching and hands-on learning Milt was in his preferred element whenever he had the opportunity to extoll the virtues of algae to students from 5 to 85 years of age. The teaching venues ranged from church workshops directed at K-12 students and their parents to ATP3 workshops conveying much more technical content to algae industry professionals. Despite his many accomplishments and duties Milt’s efforts never stopped revolving around teaching students of all ages. Milt mentored over 75 students with advanced degrees including 35 M.S., 11 Ph.D. and 25 postdoctoral students during his tenure. Many went on to productive careers in academia, industry and medicine. Milt also excelled as a researcher, ending his career with 317 publications and presentations. He was the lead investigator or co-investigator on 111 grants and projects totaling over $33 million. In addition to being the consummate teacher, three words immediately come to mind when describing Dr. Milton Sommerfeld: Opportunity, Accessibility and Perseverance. Dr. Sommerfeld provided academic and research opportunities to countless students during his career at ASU. Many involved special projects for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. He was always eager to give students the opportunity to experience research in a hands-on manner. Milt welcomed any student with a desire to work in his laboratory. He encouraged his students to rise to a level of excellence commensurate with their full potential. Students were supported with full access to resources, collegiality and Dr. Sommerfeld’s time and knowledge. He understood the importance of providing his students and colleagues the opportunity to explore different approaches to answering scientific questions and the value of student presentations at professional conferences. Milt also encouraged his students with unique academic field trips and visits to other research laboratories nationally and internationally. Throughout his tenure as Associate Dean he continued to hold regular lab meetings with his students and encouraged frequent visits to his office. His commitment to undergraduate and graduate education and research was complemented by his enthusiasm and wonderful sense of humor. It was not uncommon for a three-hour phycology lab to last four or five hours due to student interest in the subject. 2. Taking the long view of research and discovery Perseverance was one of Dr. Sommerfeld’s most admirable character traits. Milt began and finished his academic research career with grants from Salt River Project (SRP), a large Arizona public utility. In 1968, he began conducting research on the influence of pumped-storage reservoir operation on primary productivity and water quality in SRP’s reservoirs. Milt’s final research project examining algal bioremediation of SRP power plant discharge waters concludes this June. Following the Arab Oil Embargo of the 1970s, his laboratory was among the first in the world to conduct research on renewable alternative liquid fuels from microalgae. This work yielded a variety of algal strains still in use and foundational insights in the biofuels arena. Milt adapted his research to the exploration of algal water chemistry, water quality monitoring and evaluation of algal wastewater treatment options after the initial biofuel research funding was suspended in the early 1990s. He continued biofuels research on a relatively small scale over the next 15 years maintaining that large-scale algae cultivation would ultimately have a tremendous positive economic impact on the world. Due to Milt’s perseverance, his vision became a reality with AzCATI, the leading academic algal testbed in the world. The AzCATI testbed was the initial launch point for Heliae Development, now located in nearby Gilbert Arizona and owned by the Mars family of candy bar fame. Researchers and collaborators from around the world continue to visit AzCATI and conduct collaborative research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.07.019
2211-9264/
Algal Research 25 (2017) 576–577
3. Honors and Awards In addition to Milt’s many positive personal attributes, many awards were also bestowed upon him during his career. He was named Innovator of the Year in 2007 by Arizona Technology Enterprises and Arizona State University. In 2008, Time Magazine named his work and algae-based biofuels facility as the 11th best invention. Milt was awarded the Governor's Celebration of Excellence Award for Innovation in 2009 followed by the Arizona Award for Research Excellence by the Arizona Technology Council in 2010. In 2011, the Arizona State University Alumni Association presented Milt with the Award for Faculty Achievement in Research. Finally, in 2012, AzCATI was awarded the Leader of the Year in Technology by the Arizona Capital Times newspaper. Perhaps less formal, but just as prestigious, Milt became known as the “Wizard of Ooze” among his students and colleagues. Milton Sommerfeld is survived by his wife Carolyn, son Milton Jr., daughter Julia and four grandchildren. Thomas A. Dempster, Peter J. Lammers, John A. McGowen Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ
577