1931
Professor
2008
Professor Pratt
March 31, 1931 — November 8, 2008
Professor Douglas C. Pratt of Scandia, Minnesota, served as head of the Botany Department and as Dean of the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. He played a leading role in the development of environmental sciences curricula at the University and pioneered the use of native biomass crops for energy production.
He retired from the University in 1996 but continued to be active in community life.
Pratt, who was known as a fervent supporter of education and an inspiring teacher, died November 8 from leukemia at his home with all his family in attendance. Born March 31, 1931, in his parents’ home in Northeast Minneapolis, he grew up in Northeast and attended Edison High School serving as class treasurer. He married Beverly (nee Phillipsen) in 1951 who remained his lifelong soul mate and supporter in all of his endeavors. He attended the University of Minnesota on a Naval ROTC scholarship, receiving a BS degree in Natural Science Education in 1952. He then served as lieutenant in the United States Navy during the Korean War (1952-55), after which he returned to the University of Minnesota earning MA and PhD (1960) degrees in Botany.
Pratt taught at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota from 1962-66, and then accepted a faculty position in the Botany Department at the University of Minnesota which he held from 1966 until his retirement in 1996. He served as head of the department (1975-1985) and as Dean of the College of Biological Sciences (1984-1986). He also held positions as Director of the General Biology Program, Chairman of the Plant Physiology Program, and Director of the Bio-Energy Coordinating Office, among many others. His research interests were broad and included the effects of sunlight on plant pigments and plant development, as well as the use of biomass crops, notably cattails, as sources of renewable energy. This energy-related work was of great interest following the energy crises of the late 1970s. Although biomass energy research waned for a period, it has become an active study area in the last few years, and Pratt’s work and expertise received recent attention as a result. He was gratified to be sought out as a consultant on these matters in his retirement. Besides teaching numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, Pratt advised many graduate students and authored over 60 scientific papers and reports, including two publications in the prestigious British journal, Nature. He was heavily involved in University faculty governance, for example as President (1973-74) of the Twin Cities Campus Chapter of the American Association of University Professors and as three-term member of the University Senate and as Chair (1981-82) of the University Senate Consultative Committee.
Pratt taught at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota from 1962-66, and then accepted a faculty position in the Botany Department at the University of Minnesota which he held from 1966 until his retirement in 1996. He served as head of the department (1975-1985) and as Dean of the College of Biological Sciences (1984-1986). He also held positions as Director of the General Biology Program, Chairman of the Plant Physiology Program, and Director of the Bio-Energy Coordinating Office, among many others. His research interests were broad and included the effects of sunlight on plant pigments and plant development, as well as the use of biomass crops, notably cattails, as sources of renewable energy. This energy-related work was of great interest following the energy crises of the late 1970s. Although biomass energy research waned for a period, it has become an active study area in the last few years, and Pratt’s work and expertise received recent attention as a result. He was gratified to be sought out as a consultant on these matters in his retirement. Besides teaching numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, Pratt advised many graduate students and authored over 60 scientific papers and reports, including two publications in the prestigious British journal, Nature. He was heavily involved in University faculty governance, for example as President (1973-74) of the Twin Cities Campus Chapter of the American Association of University Professors and as three-term member of the University Senate and as Chair (1981-82) of the University Senate Consultative Committee.
Pratt was deeply involved in community life. He chaired the Science & Technology Resource Council for the Minnesota Legislature (1983-85), and in 1968 ran for state representative. He was a member of the Group Health, Inc. Board of Directors (1980-92) and the Group Health Foundation (later Health Partners Foundation) Board (1990-2008) which he chaired from 1990-95.
He built a home in the woods in Scandia, MN in 1973 where he lived until his death. He also owned a cabin on Big Marine Lake which held a fond spot in his and his family’s hearts. He enjoyed music immensely, singing tenor in the Elim Lutheran Church Choir in Scandia, MN and the Scandahoovians Octet, and playing French Horn in the St Croix Valley Orchestra and the Scandia Community Band.
He built a home in the woods in Scandia, MN in 1973 where he lived until his death. He also owned a cabin on Big Marine Lake which held a fond spot in his and his family’s hearts. He enjoyed music immensely, singing tenor in the Elim Lutheran Church Choir in Scandia, MN and the Scandahoovians Octet, and playing French Horn in the St Croix Valley Orchestra and the Scandia Community Band.
In addition to his wife of 57 years, Beverly, he is survived by seven children, Gregory (Patricia), Christopher (Marcia Thomas), Steven (Aimee Wynn), Jeffrey, and Timothy (Kara), of the Twin Cities area, Greta (Mark Peterson) of Norfolk, Virginia, and Analisa (Christopher Harris) of Menlo Park, California, and twelve grandchildren. His three remaining siblings, Audrey (Dahl), Wallace, and Lawrence all reside in the Twin Cities area. The University of Minnesota Foundation established the Douglas C. Pratt Annual Lectureship Series in Plant Molecular Biology in his honor. Former student Dr. Mary Kemen and her husband Dr. Brian Randall, endowed the Douglas C. Pratt Undergraduate Scholarship at the University, and wrote of Pratt, “It is so heartening to see that there are still people for whom education, ethics and compassion for others are still pillars of life.” Donations to the lectureship and the scholarship may be made through the University of Minnesota Foundation (
www.giving.umn.edu
), and memorials to Elim Lutheran Church of Scandia are also appreciated.
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