Murray Fife Buell
Encyclopedia
Murray Fife Buell was an American ecologist and palynologist.
, Buell earned a B.S. at Cornell University
in 1930. He then attended the University of Minnesota
where he earned a M.A.
in 1934 and a Ph.D.
in 1935. After completing his Ph.D., Buell's studies with W.S. Cooper stimulated his interest in plant ecology.
During graduate school, Buell married Helen Foot (Ph. D., Algology, U. Minn.); the Buells raised two children. Helen was his field companion as well as his wife, and the two worked as a team in research and publication of several papers.
Buell began his professional career at North Carolina State University in 1935, where he started his research on paleoecology
of bogs and plant succession.
From 1947 until his retirement in 1971, Buell taught at Rutgers University
, where he became Professor of Botany and served as Director of the William Hutcheson Forest. As early as 1955, he and his students studied ecology in relation to land-use management and human impacts, especially in parklands.
In 1962, he served as President of the Ecological Society of America
, and was given the Eminent Ecologist Award
by the Society in 1970. The Murray F. Buell Award was established by ESA in 1977.
Buell died July 3, 1975, while on a field trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Personal life
Born in New Haven, ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Buell earned a B.S. at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1930. He then attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
where he earned a M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1934 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1935. After completing his Ph.D., Buell's studies with W.S. Cooper stimulated his interest in plant ecology.
During graduate school, Buell married Helen Foot (Ph. D., Algology, U. Minn.); the Buells raised two children. Helen was his field companion as well as his wife, and the two worked as a team in research and publication of several papers.
Buell began his professional career at North Carolina State University in 1935, where he started his research on paleoecology
Paleoecology
Paleoecology uses data from fossils and subfossils to reconstruct the ecosystems of the past. It involves the study of fossil organisms and their associated remains, including their life cycle, living interactions, natural environment, and manner of death and burial to reconstruct the...
of bogs and plant succession.
From 1947 until his retirement in 1971, Buell taught at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, where he became Professor of Botany and served as Director of the William Hutcheson Forest. As early as 1955, he and his students studied ecology in relation to land-use management and human impacts, especially in parklands.
In 1962, he served as President of the Ecological Society of America
Ecological Society of America
The Ecological Society of America is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States, ESA publishes a suite of publications, from peer-reviewed journals to newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources. It holds an annual meeting at different locations in the...
, and was given the Eminent Ecologist Award
Eminent Ecologist Award
The Eminent Ecologist Award is prize awarded annually to a senior ecologist in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the science of ecology. The prize is awarded by the Ecological Society of America. According to the statutes, the recipient may be from any country in the world. However, in...
by the Society in 1970. The Murray F. Buell Award was established by ESA in 1977.
Buell died July 3, 1975, while on a field trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Career chronology
- 1935 Instructor, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
- 1937-1959 University of Minnesota Biological Station (summers)
- 1946 Assistant Professor, Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
- 1956-1971 Professor in Botany Department, Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
- 1970 Eminent Ecologist AwardEminent Ecologist AwardThe Eminent Ecologist Award is prize awarded annually to a senior ecologist in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the science of ecology. The prize is awarded by the Ecological Society of America. According to the statutes, the recipient may be from any country in the world. However, in...
by the Ecological Society of AmericaEcological Society of AmericaThe Ecological Society of America is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States, ESA publishes a suite of publications, from peer-reviewed journals to newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources. It holds an annual meeting at different locations in the...
Selected papers
- Buell, M.F. 1939. Peat formation in the Carolina Bays. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 66:483-487.
- Buell, M.F. 1945. Late Pleistocene forest of southeastern North Carolina. Torreya 45:117-118.
- Buell, M.F. 1970. Time of origin of New Jersey Pine Barrens bogs. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 97:105-108.
External links
- 1970 Eminent Ecologist, ESA website
- President's Biographical Sketch, The Palynological Society (AASP) website
- Resolution of Respect (obituary), ESA website