Charles B. Osmond

Bio and Research:

Barry Osmond studies photosynthesis from the molecule to the biosphere. He is especially interested in photoprotection in the antennae of photosystem II that leads to the dumping of excess light as heat, and photoinactivation, events in the reaction centre of photosystem II involving the destruction and repair of core proteins and loss of function. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1978), the Royal Society of London (1984), and a member of Leopoldina (2001), Germany's oldest academy of science. Formerly professor of environmental biology (1972-86) and director (1991-98) of the Research school of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University and he was also director of the Deserat Research Institute, University of Nevada, Reno (1980-86), and Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor Department of Botany, Duke University (1987-1991). As president and executive director (2001-3) of the Biosphere 2 Center in the Earth Institute, Columbia University (a research-led academic institution in Oracle, Arizona) he saw the unique, large controlled environment apparatus become a complement to other facilities (such as FACE and LTER) for experimental ecosystem and climate change science. Following a change in the presidency of Columbia University, the resources to achieve this transformation were withdrawn in 2002-03 and the facility was closed to research and education..