THE PASSING OF A PIONEER Professor G. Ledyard Stebbins, the world's leading expert on plant evolution, died in January at age 94. "There's no doubt whatsoever that UC Davis' fame in the general field of genetics and evolutionary biology rests squarely on the shoulders of Ledyard Stebbins," said Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. "He has long been recognized internationally as a major leader and pioneer in the biological sciences. His passing will be mourned by his many friends and colleagues here and around the world." Stebbins became a professor of genetics at UC Davis in 1950, just after he published Variation and Evolution in Plants. It was one of four texts considered to be the classics that formulate the modern theory of evolution. In 1952, Stebbins was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences. Over time, he continued to expand his thinking about evolution and plants in other books and important papers. In addition to his research achievements, Stebbins was an excellent mentor to graduate students, many of whom have become accomplished scientists, and a well-liked teacher of undergraduates. In 1972, he received the campus's Distinguished Teaching Award. He retired in 1973, at age 67, but stayed active in research and writing for another 20 years. In 1979, he was awarded the National Medal of Science, the country's highest award for scientific accomplishment. In 1980, the UC regents named a natural reserve in his honor--Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, a 577-acre parcel about 20 miles from campus. Stebbins said that honor was far more satisfying than having his name on a campus building. His ashes will be scattered there. Herbert B. Currier, professor emeritus of plant biology, died in November from pneumonia at the age of 88. Professor Currier taught at UC Davis from 1938 to 1977, taking a four-year leave during World War II to work in industry research to help the war effort. Professor Currier received two Guggenheim fellowships to study in Germany and taught at the University of Göttingen for a year. He developed a now widely used fluorescent staining method for detecting cellulose in the phloem tissue of plants. Richard E. Grimm, professor emeritus of classics, died in December of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 73. After obtaining a doctorate from Princeton University, Dr. Grimm taught at UC Davis from 1960 to 1991, where his specialty was epic poetry. Roland W. Hoermann, professor emeritus of German and comparative literature, died in January at the age of 76 of Lou Gehrig's disease. Professor Hoermann played a leading role in the founding of UC Davis' comparative literature program and served as an associate dean in the College of Letters and Science for 11 years. He was chair of the department of German and Russian in 1990-1992 and served as director of the Study Abroad Center in Göttingen, Germany, in 1984-86.