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In memoriam: Arthur Kelman

Arthur Kelman, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, passed away on June 29 in Raleigh, N.C. at the age of 90.Kelman began his career at North Carolina State University. He was recruited to the UW-Madison in 1965 to serve as chair of the plant pathology department, a position he held for 10 years. His research here focused on bacterial plant pathogens and the diseases they cause. He was noted for his contributions on pathogens of potatoes and other vegetables. He made numerous fundamental and practical contributions to the mechanisms of virulence and pathogenesis and the ecology and control of phytobacteria. While at the UW-Madison he was the L. R. Jones Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology and a Wisconsin Alumni Research Alumni Fellow. He also taught the basic undergraduate course in plant pathology for many years and earned the CALS Spitzer Excellence in Teaching Award in 1987. He was also active in faculty governance and served as chair of the University Committee.

He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his pioneering contributions to the study of phytobacteriology. He was also elected a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society (APS), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Academy of Microbiology, and served as president of both APS and the International Society of Plant Pathology. Following retirement, he returned to North Carolina State University, where he was appointed Distinguished University Scholar, and served one term as the Chief Scientist for the USDA-NRI grants program. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and a son Philip Kelman, of New York City.

Read Arthur Kelman’s obituary