Dr. Albert Joyce Riker (April 3, 1894 – February 21, 1982) was a noted American

plant pathologist Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungus, fung ...

and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Riker was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, the son of Albert Birdsall and Mary Edith (Davis) Riker. He graduated from high school in Moundsville, West Virginia, after which he worked for the Royal Three Barrel Gun Company, was an automobile repairman and salesman, and helped build greenhouses. He then attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

, receiving in 1917 his A.B. degree in

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

. He began graduate work in botany at the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...

, but interrupted it during 1918-1919 to serve as a bacteriologist in Army hospital in France in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. After war's end, he completed his MA in 1920 in botany and bacteriology, and in 1922 his PhD in plant pathology from the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

where he studied crown gall, after which he joined the department. Except for 1926-1927, when he studied in London and Paris, Riker continued at Wisconsin until he retired in 1964. Although Riker's interests encompassed many aspects of plant pathology, notably phytobacteriology,

tissue culture Tissue culture is the growth of tissues or cells in an artificial medium separate from the parent organism. This technique is also called micropropagation. This is typically facilitated via use of a liquid, semi-solid, or solid growth medium, su ...

forest pathology Forest pathology is the research of both Biotic stress, biotic and Abiotic stress, abiotic maladies affecting the health of a forest ecosystem, primarily Fungal infection in plants, fungal pathogens and their insect vectors. It is a subfield of ...

, and

epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

, his most significant contributions were in

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

, and in the later years of his career, in helping to organize international quarantines to restrict the spread of plant diseases. He received the

American Men of Science ''American Men and Women of Science'' (the 40th edition was published in 2022) is a biographical reference work on leading scientists in the United States and Canada, published as a series of books and online by Gale. The first edition was publish ...

Star in 1944, the Eighth

International Botanical Congress International Botanical Congress (IBC) is an international meeting of botanists in all scientific fields, authorized by the International Association of Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS) and held every six years, with the location rotat ...

Medal in 1954, and served as president of the American Phytopathological Society in 1947. He was a Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...

and of the American Academy of Microbiology, and elected to the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

in 1951, serving as Chairman of its Section of Botany from 1959-1962. Riker married three times: Regina Stockhausen (1922), Helen Burgoyne (1953), and Adelaide Evenson, a retired microbiologist from the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

. He died in

Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

References

National Academy of Sciences obituary

American Phytopathological Society (APS) obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riker, Albert Joyce 1894 births 1982 deaths People from Wheeling, West Virginia Businesspeople from West Virginia Military personnel from West Virginia Oberlin College alumni University of Cincinnati alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty American phytopathologists Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences People from Moundsville, West Virginia Scientists from West Virginia 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century agronomists