Holdings Liberal Arts and Sciences Physiology and Biophysics D... Govindjee and Rajni Govindj... Finding Aid Holdings Liberal Arts and Sciences Physiology and Biophysics D... Govindjee and Rajni Govindj... Finding Aid Title: Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee Papers, 1955-82
ID: 15/17/21
Primary Creator: Govindjee (1932-)
Extent: 32.1 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Series 1: Personal, 1956-2019
This series includes Govindjee's curriculum vitas, as well as his academic records, awards, and materials related to doctoral coursework at the University of Illinois, including his thesis: "Effect of Combining Two Wavelengths of Light on the Photosynthesis of Algae". Also included are several biographical accounts, an interview by Joy Block, and a retirement scrapbook. This series is arranged chronologically, with the CVs listed first.
Series 2: Rajni Govindjee, 1953-1969
This series contains Rajni Govindjee’s correspondence, academic records, research data, and lecture notes. Rajni Govindjee’s lab books are of particular interest and contain research data and notes from her collaborations with Robert Emerson and Eugene Rabinowitch. This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 3: Correspondence, 1950-2008
This series comprises personal and professional correspondence. This series is divided into four subseries based on Govindjee’s original arrangement. The first subseries contains correspondence related to Robert Emerson, Eugene Rabinowitch, and Govindjee’s research laboratory at the University of Illinois in the 1950s and 1960s. Thus, this subseries includes correspondence by Emerson and Rabinowitch as well as Govindjee. The second subseries comprises Govindjee’s personal and professional correspondence with friends, graduate students, associates, collaborators, academic organizations, and publishers in the 1960s and early 1970s. Subseries three includes Govindjee’s correspondence with graduate students, and research associates, and collaborators from the late 1960s through the 1970s. The fourth subseries comprises Govindjee’s general correspondence. This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 4: Research Notebooks and Data, 1937-2007
This series comprises research data, analytics, notes, and lab books relating to Govindjee’s study of photosynthesis. This series is divided into three subseries. The first contains research data and analytics from Govindjee’s laboratory experiments, the earliest of which he conducted with Robert Emerson, Eugene Rabinowitch, and Rajni Govindjee. Thus, some folders may contain Emerson’s, Rabinowitch’s, or Rajni Govindjee’s research data and notes. Items in this subseries are listed in chronological order by year and alphabetically therein. The second subseries includes Govindjee’s research notebooks, conference and meeting notebooks, and lab books, arranged chronologically. The third subseries comprises graduate students’ and research associates’ lab books, chronologically arranged.
Series 5: Subject Files, 1948-2016
This series includes publication drafts, figures and tables, notes, outlines, overheads, posters, reference books and pamphlets for lab work, and research files. Some research data is included in these folders. This series also contains materials relating to Govindjee’s overseas research trips and sabbaticals, visiting scholar lectures, collaborations with other scholars, teaching photosynthesis over the internet, and academic appointments. This series also contains copies of signatures from Adolf von Harnack's guest book—including signatures of Nobel laureates and Adolf Hitler. This series begins with sabbatical folders and annual reports binders put together by Govindjee. Those are listed first and arranged chronologically. The series also includes a card index of laboratory equipment and material suppliers: this is listed after the annual report binders. The rest of the series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 6: Grants, 1963-2012
This series contains grant and fellowship applications, correspondence, and reports relating to Govindjee's research, arranged alphabetically by grant funder and chronologically therein.
Series 7: Conferences and Presentations, 1957-2019
This series includes conference and workshop papers, presentation outlines, notes, and correspondence. The folder on the International Genetics Congress in New Delhi includes a photo of Govindjee with Indira Gandhi. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series 8: International Society of Photosynthesis Research, 1990-2001
This series comprises correspondence, drafts, meeting notes, and agendas relating to the International Society of Photosynthesis Research, of which Govindjee was a member of both the executive committee and the publication committee. This series is arranged chronologically.
Series 9: Teaching Materials, 1958-2007
This series includes Govindjee's syllabi, handouts, lecture notes, lab notes, and assignments, for courses taught at the University of Illinois. The series is arranged by course number and chronologically therein. Folders not associated with a specific course are listed chronologically at the end of the series.
Series 10: Research on the History of Photosynthesis, 1938-2011
This series contains correspondence, drafts, and research files related to the history of photosynthesis research. This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 11: Publications, 1955-2019
The series contains books, articles, and reviews authored and co-authored by Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee. Govindjee's articles and reviews are listed first, followed by Rajni Govindjee's articles, and finally Govindjee's books. This series is arranged chronologically, based on the publication lists provided on Govindjee's website. These publication lists include links to pdf versions of Govindjee's articles.
Publications 1955 – 1993: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/pubschron.html
Publications 1994 – 2020s: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/pubschron.html
Series 12: Slides, Lantern Slides, and Photographs, 1950-2000
This series includes slides, lantern slide, photographs, and negatives of Govindjee's presentations, research (including the Emerson Effect), events, colleagues, family, and friends. This series is arranged by category and alphabetically therein.
Subjects: Biophysics, Botany, Botany Department, Chlorophyll, Faculty Papers, Foreign Students, Music -- India - Science and Technology, Photobiology, Photosynthesis, Physiology and Biophysics Department, Plant Physiology
Formats/Genres: Papers
Languages: English
Govindjee (1933- ) was a graduate fellow, Fulbright scholar, and research assistant at the University of Illinois from 1956-1960, became an assistant professor of botany in 1961, associate professor of botany and biophysics in 1965, professor of plant biology and biophysics in 1969, and retired as professor emeritus of biophysics, biochemistry, and plant biology in 1999. Govindjee is internationally recognized for his work on photosynthesis. While at the University of Illinois, he also served as Associate Head of Botany (1973-1974), Acting Head of Botany (1974-1975), and Chairman of Biophysics (1977-1978).
Rajni Govindjee (1935-) was not hired at the University of Illinois due to nepotism rules that would not allow spouses of usually male faculty to obtain faculty positions. Her publications and research are all that remain of her work on photobiology. More on Rajni Govindjee can be found in the article "Brighter than the Sun" by Thomas G. Ebrey, which can be read on Govindjee's website: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/Rajni_Govindjee_BrighterThanTheSunRajniGovindj.pdf
The Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee papers have had two accessions.
Accession 1981
Papers of Govindjee (1933- ), professor of Botany and Biophysics (1969- ), including curriculum vitae containing personal data and a 13 page listing of Govindjee's publications (August 1980); Xeroxed correspondence from Robert Emerson, research professor in Botany, Emerson's assistant Ruth Chalmers, and Eugene B. Rabinowitch about Govindjee's move from India to U.S., fellowships, laboratory work on photosynthesis, curriculum in Physico-chemical Biology (1955-59, 1962); reprints of photobiology research articles concerned with photosynthesis, chlorophyll in photosynthesis, fluorescence induction and bacterial photosynthesis (1960-84); copy of May 1978 lecture (published March 1982), a comprehensive discussion of photosynthesis explaining elementary as well as technically advanced aspects; copies of newspaper clippings of Govindjee's marriage (1957) and Emerson's death in a plane crash (1959).
Accession 2019
The Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee papers include Govindjee's CV and biographical information, awards, academic records, Govindjee's Ph.D. thesis, and a retirement scrapbooks. Also included are Rajni Govindjee's academic records, lecture notes, and research data. This data includes work with her collaborations with Robert Emerson and Eugene Rabinowitch. The papers also contain correspondence relating to Govindjee, Emerson, and Rabinowitch's research laboratory at the University of Illinois, as well as correspondence with friends, students, collaborators, academic organizations, and publishers. Also included are research notebooks and data from Govindjee's laboratory experiments--including collaborations with Rajni Govindjee, Emerson, and Rabinowitch—as well as student and associate lab books. Also in the papers are annual report binders compiled by Govindjee; a rolodex of laboratory equipment and material suppliers; article and book drafts; figures and tables; notes; outlines; overheads; reference books and pamphlets for lab work; papers from Govindjee's overseas trips; lectures as a visiting professor; Govindjee's work on teaching photosynthesis over the internet; grant and fellowship applications, correspondence, and reports; conference presentation outlines, notes, and correspondence; The International Society of Photosynthesis Research agendas, meeting notes, drafts, and correspondence; Govindjee's syllabi, lecture and lab notes, handouts, and assignments for courses taught at the University of Illinois; research, drafts, and correspondence related to the history of photosynthesis. This includes research on Emerson such as biographies, newspaper clippings, and Emerson's correspondence, as well as Rabinowitch interviews and a biography of Rabinowitch written by Govindjee. The Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee papers also contain Govindjee's articles and book, as well as Rajni Govindjee's articles. Also in the papers are slides, lantern slides, photographs, and negatives of Govindjee's presentations, friends, students, colleagues, and events. This includes lantern slides on the Emmerson Effect from around the 1950s.
This collection is arranged into 12 series. Series 1: Personal, 1956-2019, arranged chronologically; Series 2: Rajni Govindjee, 1953-1969, arranged alphabetically; Series 3: Correspondence, 1950-2008, arranged alphabetically; Series 4: Research Notebooks and Data, 1937-2007, arranged chronologically; Series 5: Subject Files, 1948-2016, arranged alphabetically; Series 6: Grants, 1963-2012, arranged alphabetically by grant funder and chronologically therein; Series 7: Conferences and Presentations, 1957-2019, arranged chronologically; Series 8: International Society of Photosynthesis Research, 1990-2001, arranged chronologically; Series 9: Teaching Materials, 1958-2007, arranged by course number and chronologically therein; Series 10: Research on the History of Photosynthesis, 1938-2011, arranged alphabetically; Series 11: Publications, 1955-2019, arranged by category chronologically therein; Series 12: Slides, Lantern Slides, and Photographs, 1950-2000, arranged by category and alphabetically therein
Govindjee (1933- ) was a graduate fellow, Fulbright scholar, and research assistant at the University of Illinois from 1956-1960, became an assistant professor of botany in 1961, associate professor of botany and biophysics in 1965, professor of plant biology and biophysics in 1969, and retired as professor emeritus of biophysics, biochemistry, and plant biology in 1999. Govindjee is internationally recognized for his work on photosynthesis. While at the University of Illinois, he also served as Associate Head of Botany (1973-1974), Acting Head of Botany (1974-1975), and Chairman of Biophysics (1977-1978).
Govindjee was born October 24, 1933, in Allahabad, India. He uses only the name "Govindjee," as his father, being an Arya Samajist, did not believe in the Indian Caste system, and did not use the family's last name, which would have signified their caste. Though Govindjee historically used only one name and was naturalized as a United States citizen with one name (1972), he legally changed his name to "Govindjee Govindjee" in 2018.
Rajni Govindjee (1935-) was not hired at the University of Illinois due to nepotism rules that would not allow spouses of usually male faculty to obtain faculty positions. Her publications and research are all that remain of her work on photobiology. More on Rajni Govindjee can be found in the article "Brighter than the Sun" by Thomas G. Ebrey, which can be read on Govindjee's website: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/Rajni_Govindjee_BrighterThanTheSunRajniGovindj.pdf
Govindjee received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology (1952) and his Master of Science (1954) in botany/plant physiology from the University of Allahabad, where he met Rajni Varma. Govindjee worked as a lecturer (1954-1956) at the University of Allahabad, and both Govindjee and Rajni Varma came to the United States separately during the 1950's and married on October 24th, 1957; they have two children: Anita and Sanjay. Govindjee and Rajni Govindjee received their PhDs from the University of Illinois (1960 and 1961), where they studied under Robert Emerson and Eugene Rabinowitch – both important photosynthesis researchers. Govindjee was a member of the University of Illinois faculty from 1956 through 1999, and still works as a professor emeritus. He also has been a visiting scientist at the Research Institute of Advanced Studies, Martin Marietta Labs (1962), the Carnegie Institute of Washington, Stanford (1963-1979), Laboratoire de Photosynthese, Gif-Sur-Yvette (1968-1976), Technical University, West Berlin (1968; 1976), Bhabha Atomic Energy Research Center, Bombay (1968; 1976), NRC, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Athens (1968; 1976), Department of Biophysics, State University, Leiden (1976), Solar Energy Research Group, RIKEN, Japan (1984), Agricultural University, Wageningen (1984), and Department of Phototrophic Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology, Czech Republic (2009; 2011). Govindjee has been a visiting professor at Washington University, St. Louis, MO (2000), Institute of Physical Biology, University of S. Bohemia, Czech Republic (2002), Jawaharlal Nehru, India University (2003-2008; 2012; 2015-2019), and Ravenshaw University, India (2014).
Govindjee has done immense work in the field of photosynthesis – specifically in regard to the function of Photosystem II. In 1960, Govindjee showed the role of chlorophyll a in Photosystem II. Govindjee pioneered the first picosecond measurements of Photosystem I (1978) and Photosystem II (1989). He also established the unique role of bicarbonate in electron and proton transport in Photosystem II, created the first comprehensive theory of thermoluminescence in algae and plants, and has shown how prompt and delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll a can be used as a signature of various reactions in photosynthesis. A list of Govindjee's early research discoveries can be found in Box 1/folder 1: curriculum vitas.
Govindjee's many awards and honors include: University of Illinois Fellow and Fulbright Scholar from India (1953), elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (1976), University of Illinois School of Life Sciences Distinguished Lecture Award (1978), elected as a Fellow and Life Member of the National Academy of Sciences, India (1979), elected President of the American Society for Photobiology (1981), the Arnold O. Beckman Research Award from the University of Illinois (1989), the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research (2006), the Communication Award of the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (2007), the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois (2008), the Dr. B.M. Johri Memorial Award of the Society for Plant Research, India (2016), and elected as the Pravasi Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India (2018).
Govindjee's curriculum vitae can be found on his website: https://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/g/CurriculumVitae.html
Biophysics
Botany
Botany Department
Chlorophyll
Faculty Papers
Foreign Students
Music -- India - Science and Technology
Photobiology
Photosynthesis
Physiology and Biophysics Department
Plant Physiology
URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/1517021.pdf
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