Honorary Degree Recipient
Doctor of Science
College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, December 16, 2003
Charles J. Arntzen has distinguished himself as an outstanding scientist, innovator, and leader. His primary research interests are in plant molecular biology and protein engineering, as well as the utilization of plant biotechnology for enhancement of food quality and value, for expression of pharmacologically active products in transgenic plants, and for overcoming health and agricultural constraints in the developing world. He has been recognized as a pioneer in the development of "edible vaccines" which are targeted for health improvement in developing countries. He has held faculty positions at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University, and visiting professorships in France, Australia, and China. At age 40 he was inducted as a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He has been a member of numerous national and international committees that serve general scientific interests, and currently serves on the National Research Council's Committee on Space Biology and Medicine. He also serves on President Bush's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. He currently holds the Florence Ely Nelson Presidential Chair in Plant Biology and is also the Founding Director of the Arizona Biomedical Institute at Arizona State University.
Biographies are as-of time of award presentation.