Ganga Nair

In 1968 Professor Nair was one of the founding faculty members at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he taught Plant-Forest Pathology, Mycology, and Conservation of Natural Resources on a global level. Professor Nair published scores of research papers and book chapters on chemotherapeutic control of tree diseases, Mycoplasma of tree diseases, and national and international journals. He was the first recipient of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Founders Association Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 1976. Professor Nair has achieved an international reputation for his research in Mycoplasma diseases in trees, chemotherapeutic and biological plant diseases, breeding and cloning of disease resistant trees species, reforestation, preservation, and propagation of forest medicinal plants.

He cared about UW-Green Bay, Natural Applied Sciences, the Biology programs, and for his students. Professor Nair always believed that his students were his wealth, and felt that his students should do better than he did. He served as a senior advisor to the United Nations Development Program on the preservation of tropical forests around the world. Professor Nair also served on the International Plant Protection Congress, and the Indian Planning Commission. He was selected by India as a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of India. China also presented him with the “Scroll of Distinction” for scientific achievements. Professor Nair received the Herbert Fisk Johnson Professorship in Environmental Studies in 2003. His expertise was not limited to international areas. Professor Nair also directed the chemotherapeutic control and management of oak wilt in Green Bay, served on the committee to control Dutch elm disease in Wisconsin, and helped farmers solve problems associated with soil-borne fungal pathogens.

In 2010, Elizabeth Nair established a scholarship in 2010 in memory of her husband, the Ganga and Elizabeth Nair Endowed Scholarship for Natural Sciencesawarded to full time students who are majoring in one of the natural sciences and demonstrate a strong commitment to conservation. Preference is given to students with interest in Plant- and Forest Pathology or in Mycology.

Education

Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison in Plant Pathology and Mycology; M.Natural Sciences, Aligarh University; B.A. Christian College in Madras, India