Govindjee, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Plant Biology, recently received the LAS Alumni Achievement Award for his lifetime contributions to photosynthesis research. The annual award is given by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Association to a select few alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their field or the community.

Professor Govindjee came to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1956, after receiving his masters from Allahabad University in India. He received his Ph.D. in biophysics in 1960, and joined the University of Illinois faculty as an assistant professor in 1961. Since then, Professor Govindjee has been on the forefront of photosynthesis research and education.

His current interests include the history and controversies of photosynthesis research and enhancing photosynthesis education through the use of websites. As the Series Editor for Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, Professor Govindjee’s knowledge of the photosynthetic process is unparalleled.

The LAS Alumni Achievement Award was given to Professor Govindjee on October 10th, 2008. This is not first or the last of his many honors, however. Professor Govindjee was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rebeiz Foundation of Basic Research in 2007, and an International Symposium on Photosynthesis will be held in his honor later this month in Indore, India.