John C. Makemson - In Memoriam

Retired Professor John C. Makemson, a pioneer in the study of bioluminescence, was renowned for his passion for providing research and training opportunities for students. In addition to serving more than eight years as the Biological Sciences undergraduate program director, for which he received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Advising in 2012, Dr. Makemson also set up the first 100 percent research-based laboratory for first-year biology students at FIU. In collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science Education Alliance, he provided research training for undergraduate students in the SEA-PHAGE program, where students in General Biology labs conduct original research, discovering and describing the genomes of new species of marine viruses.

A scholarship fund has been established in Dr. Makemson's name for undergraduate students conducting research in the biological sciences. Students majoring in Biology or Biochemistry who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have taken BCH 3033 Biochemistry are eligible for the scholarship. Funds may be used to create an endowment.

Contribute to the Makemson Award Scholarship Fund