Thomas C. Harrington received his B.S. degree from Colorado State University, his M.S. degree from Washington State University, and his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of California, Berkeley. His first appointment was in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at the University of New Hampshire, where he served as chair of the department and later as co-chair of the new Department of Plant Biology. From 1991 until 1996, Dr. Harrington was chair of the Department of Plant Pathology at Iowa State University, where he is currently a professor of plant pathology and forestry.
Dr. Harrington is recognized as an international leader in forest pathology and has been involved in research projects on each of the seven continents. He has earned the reputation as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the taxonomy and ecology of root rot fungi and fungi associated with bark beetles. He has produced major review articles on fungal–insect interactions, the ecology of pine diseases, and species concepts in fungi. He has integrated molecular approaches with classical taxonomy and genetic methods to clarify genetic diversity, mating strategies, and phylogenetic relationships among fungal taxa. These research contributions have advanced our understanding of the evolution and speciation of fungal plant pathogens and, in turn, enhanced our understanding of plant disease systems.
Dr. Harrington has an extensive record of service to APS. He has chaired the Forest Pathology and Mycology committees of APS, served two terms as associate editor and one term as a senior editor of Plant Disease, and co-organized mycology symposia at three APS meetings. He also has been active in a number of leadership roles in the Mycological Society of America and was elected a fellow of MSA in 2002.
For his innovative and creative research contributions ranging from the molecular level to the ecosystem level, his scientific leadership in forest pathology, and his service to APS, Dr. Thomas Harrington is recognized as a highly deserving recipient of the APS Fellow Award.
