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PRESS
RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution, January 21, 2009.
ST. LOUIS, Missouri – Michael Balick and Nina Etkin are recipients of the
Society for Economic Botany Distinguished Economic Botanist Award.
Dr. Jim Miller, President of the Society for Economic Botany (SEB), announced
today that Drs. Nina Etkin and Michael Balick are the recipients of the 2009
Distinguished Economic Botanist Award, the society's highest honor for professionals.
They will be honored June 5th in a formal ceremony during the society's 50th
annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.
Dr. Nina Etkin is a Professor and the Graduate Chair of Anthropology at the
University of Hawai‘i-Manoa. Past Editor in Chief of Economic Botany,
the society’s journal, Professor Daniel Moerman said, “No one has
been more generous in those behind-the-scenes collegial activities of reading
early drafts of manuscripts, encouraging, supporting and molding….In a
phrase, Nina is the class act in ethnobotany." Dr. Heather McMillen, SEB
Secretary, said, “With four decades of research and publications that
explore the physiologic implications of consumption, and the cultural construction
and social circulation of plants used as foods, medicines, cosmetics, and textiles,
Nina Etkin has made substantial contributions to our discipline. Specifically,
she has helped us see beyond our own cultural and disciplinary constraints and
deepened our understanding of plants as biodynamic substances, cultural artifacts,
and components of ecological systems.”
Dr. Michael Balick is Vice President for Botanical Science, Director and Philecology
Curator, Institute of Economic Botany at The New York Botanical Garden. He is
also a past president of the SEB. Professor Will McClatchey, past president
of the SEB, calls Dr. Balick, “one of the most faithful and generous participants
in the management of the SEB and our journal, Economic Botany.” McClatchey
goes on to say, that Dr. Balick, “has conducted research in many parts
of the world but is probably most well known for his work in Central and South
America and the Caribbean. He is currently working in Micronesia in Pohnpei
and Yap on floristic and traditional knowledge studies. Dr. Balick is a student
of Society co-founder, Richard Schultes, and has mentored many students himself.
He has become one of the most prolific authors within the field of Economic
Botany.”
The Distinguished Economic Botanist Award, established in 1978, is bestowed
annually by the Society on the basis of outstanding education and research accomplishments.
The award represents the ultimate achievement in the field of Economic Botany.
The Society for Economic Botany is the largest international scientific organization
fostering and encouraging research and education on the past, present, and future
uses of plants by people.
For more information, please contact Dr. Heather McMillen, SEB Secretary, at
seb_secretary@botany.org, or phone
the society office at 001-314-577-9566.
 
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution, February 4, 2008.
ST. LOUIS, Missouri
- Brent and Elois Ann Berlin recipients of the Society for Economic Botany Distinguished
Economic Botanist Award.
Dr. John Rashford, President of the Society
for Economic Botany, announced today that Drs. Brent Berlin and Elois Ann Berlin
are the recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Economic Botanist Award, the society's
highest honor for professionals. They will be honored June 5th in a formal ceremony
during the society's annual meeting in Durham, North Carolina.
Council
member Dr. Rick Stepp, said "The work of Brent Berlin and Elois Ann Berlin
over the last four decades has led to major theoretical advances in cognitive
and medical ethnobiology. Their work has always demonstrated the highest ethical
standards during years of intensive fieldwork in Mexico and Peru. They have described
the encyclopedic plant knowledge of the Highland Maya in numerous publications
and, in the process, revealed a healing system on par with that of the great Far
East traditions. They were amongst the first researchers to actively work with
native collaborators and they are deeply committed to their research communities
and local partners."
Visit the Distinguished
Economic Botanists archive for more information. 
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution, February 5, 2007.
HONOLULU, Hawai`i.,
- Society for Economic Botany Names Hardy Eshbaugh as Distinguished Economic Botanist.
Dr. Will McClatchey, President of the Society for Economic Botany, announced
today that Dr. W. Hardy Eshbaugh is the recipient of the 2007 Distinguished Economic
Botanist Award, the society's highest honor for professionals. He will be honored
June 7th in a formal ceremony during the society's annual meeting in Chicago,
Illinois.
Council member Dr. Mary Eubanks, said "In addition to
his work on the origin and evolution of peppers (Capsicum spp.), Hardy
has distinguished himself as a tireless advocate for biodiversity conservation,
and he has greatly contributed to the next generation of botanists through his
inspirational teaching of undergraduate and graduate students at Miami University
of Ohio." Many of his students have gone on to distinguished careers in plant
systematics, ethnobotany, archaeobotany, and biodiversity conservation. Hardy
has also contributed greatly as an able and inspiring administrator and leader
in professional service to botany. His remarkable record of service as president
of numerous prestigious organizations, which began with the Society of Economic
Botany in 1983-84, includes the Botanical Society of America, the American Society
of Plant Taxonomists, the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the Audubon
Society. He also played a key role in shaping the future of botany as worldwide
chair of the Systematics Agenda 2000 - Charting the Biosphere Initiative.
For more information, contact Dr. Michael
B. Thomas, Secretary. Tel: 808 375-6275.
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