The 2010 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) USFCC/J. Roger Porter Award is being presented to William "Barny" Whitman, Ph.D., Head, Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, for his methanogens research and services to culture collections.
Whitman is a worldwide recognized expert in methanogens and has made significant contributions also to microbial metabolism, diversity, and taxonomy. He helped elucidate the unique metabolism of methanogens. Whitman worked with the late David Boone and established the most complete global collection of methanogens which has been incorporated into the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). He has also published on the biodiversity and physiology of methanogens. His highest scholarly impact publication was his research on the HPLC method for determining the G+C mol% content of microorganisms. This work, now the standard, provided microbial taxonomists with a simple method to aid in the characterization and naming of bacterial and archaeal species.
Whitman is also known for his contributions to understanding microbial diversity. His 1998 paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provided evidence that the biomass of bacteria and archaea was at least equivalent to that of all plants and animals.
Throughout his career Whitman has volunteered his time and expertise to many organizations and publications including the ATCC, the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, and Bergey's Manual Trust. He is currently Director of the Editorial Office for Bergey's Manual Trust which is located at the University of Georgia. He has been working tirelessly to ensure that Volumes 3, 4, and 5 of the current edition of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology are as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as possible.
The USFCC/J. Roger Porter Award will be presented during the 110th General Meeting of the ASM, May 23-27, 2010 in San Diego, CA. ASM is the world's oldest and largest life science organization and has more than 43,000 members worldwide. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences and promote the use of scientific knowledge for improved health and economic and environmental well-being.