Obituary: Karl Esser 1924–2019
Karl Esser, Emeritus Professor of General Botany and Director of the Botanical
Garden at the Ruhr University Bochum, died on December 3, 2019, at the age of
95. Karl Esser was an internationally respected and recognized researcher in
fungal biology and genetics. In 1994, he and Paul Lemke (Auburn, Alabama)
became the founding editors of the MYCOTA, which was meant to highlight
developments in both basic and applied research and to present an overview of
fungal systematics and cell biology. Even a few weeks before his death, Karl Esser
managed the present volume of this series. He published 4 textbooks and more
than 220 original publications in scientific journals. Further, he was editor or
member of the editorial board of 14 scientific journals.
Karl Esser graduated from Cologne University with a PhD in biology and
biochemistry in 1952. Later on, he was research fellow at the Genetic Institute of
Paris and of the Botanical Institute in Cologne. After his habilitation (second
PhD) in 1958, he was a research fellow at the Department of Microbiology, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. After his return to Germany, he took
the chair for General Botany at the Ruhr University and was member of the
Founding Committee to build up the newly established Ruhr University. In 1967,
he became the first director of the Botanical Garden in Bochum, one of the largest
at a German university. On April 1, 1989, he retired from his position as a
professor of botany. He was active in many international organizations. To
Karl Esser, Emeritus Professor of General Botany and Director of the Botanical
Garden at the Ruhr University Bochum, died on December 3, 2019, at the age of
95. Karl Esser was an internationally respected and recognized researcher in
fungal biology and genetics. In 1994, he and Paul Lemke (Auburn, Alabama)
became the founding editors of the MYCOTA, which was meant to highlight
developments in both basic and applied research and to present an overview of
fungal systematics and cell biology. Even a few weeks before his death, Karl Esser
managed the present volume of this series. He published 4 textbooks and more
than 220 original publications in scientific journals. Further, he was editor or
member of the editorial board of 14 scientific journals.
Karl Esser graduated from Cologne University with a PhD in biology and
biochemistry in 1952. Later on, he was research fellow at the Genetic Institute of
Paris and of the Botanical Institute in Cologne. After his habilitation (second
PhD) in 1958, he was a research fellow at the Department of Microbiology, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. After his return to Germany, he took
the chair for General Botany at the Ruhr University and was member of the
Founding Committee to build up the newly established Ruhr University. In 1967,
he became the first director of the Botanical Garden in Bochum, one of the largest
at a German university. On April 1, 1989, he retired from his position as a
professor of botany. He was active in many international organizations. To