We are all saddened by the passing last Thursday of Dr. Robert Gardner, a dedicated member of the algae community that made enduring contributions to science, education, and to the growth of the Algae Biomass Organization.
Rob was well-respected for his research on algal biofuels at Montana State University as a Ph.D. student and later as an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. He also conceived of and organized the first Young Innovators Lounge (YIL), an annual series of events at the Algae Biomass Summit designed to help students advance their careers by making personal connections with industry leaders.
Rob was one of the earliest student members of the Algae Biomass Organization, and made contributions at every Summit from 2008-2019, chairing the YIL and poster sessions in 2013-2015, and then serving as the event’s Biology track chair from 2016-2018. He also served on the Technical Standards committee for ABO’s most important industry standards document: Industrial Algae Measurements, v. 8.0.
Rob’s contributions to science and education, and especially his collegial and energetic spirit, will continue to be an inspiration to the entire ABO community. He will be greatly missed.
Read a statement from Mark Allen, ABO’s President and Board Chair, here.
A college scholarship fund in his honor has been set up to support his daughter’s college expenses. To make a donation A “GoFundMe” account has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/