IN MEMORIAM Frances Lynn Carpenter | 1944-2022
Frances Lynn Carpenter, emerita professor and the first female faculty in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, was a dedicated ecologist whose research included the foraging patterns of hummingbirds and reforestation, for which she was most known. Lynn, as she was known, was a pioneer of studying the physiology and ecology of hummingbirds beyond the laboratory, in the complexity of real-world settings. She used field sites that amplified adaptations to the environment, such as high-elevation settings where temperature varies dramatically in time, and locations that allowed her to compare differences among species, such as highly diverse tropical locations. She elucidated the mechanisms by which an interplay of the constraints of the environment and the forces of competition determine the spatial range of species.
While on sabbatical in Costa Rica in 1991, Professor Carpenter was compelled to devote her research efforts toward reforestation after witnessing the relentless logging of the country’s rain forests. Her work, which continued after her retirement in 2010, helped uncover effective methods for facilitating reforestation and soil regeneration in eroded lands and pastures that had been logged and drained of their resources. Professor Carpenter’s spirit and obligation to conduct meaningful research for the well-being of all life is the driving force behind BioSci and conservation efforts around the globe. In addition to her decades-long contributions to science, Professor Carpenter was also a longtime donor and supporter of BioSci. Her bequest ensures academic excellence in educating the next generation of biologists and continued research in areas about which she was deeply passionate. Her service and generosity stand as a beacon toward which we can all strive.
