This symposium is dedicated to the memory of our friend and colleague, Vince Franceschi, 1953-2005.

Not long before his untimely death, Vince was heard to remark, "What could be more fun than science?" His love of and fascination with plant physiology and structural cell biology was apparent to all during his professional career.

Vince was raised in Napa, California by Joe and Rita Franceschi. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1976, obtained an MS from Iowa State University in 1978, and earned a doctorate in Botany from the University of California, Davis, in 1981. In 1982, following a year of postdoctoral study at E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Delaware, Vince accepted a position at Washington State University in the Department of Botany. He rose to the rank of Full Professor in 1992 and assumed the Directorship of the WSU Electron Microscopy (EM) Center two years later, a position he held at the time of his death.

The Department of Botany, along with several other departments, was reorganized into the School of Biological Sciences in 1999. Despite the intensity of his research and instructional load, Vince volunteered in 2001 to assume the Director's position for the School. Through his stewardship, the School moved forward with the successful addition of new faculty, reassessment of its undergraduate course offerings, and a sharper image of its future.

Vince had an extraordinary talent and work ethic. He was noted for his friendly, positive attitude and he seemingly had time for everyone. He was internationally recognized for his research in plant cell biology through his knowledge of plant anatomy and plant structure-function (in which he was acknowledged to be a foremost authority), and his high level of expertise in microscopy and microtechniques. His wonderful micrographs graced a number of prominent scientific journals, including the cover of Science magazine. The Microscopy Center at WSU gained international recognition through Vince's leadership and his own research in several areas: calcium metabolism, photosynthesis and assimilate partitioning, and plant defense. His prominence in these areas is reflected in three major reviews, written during his last two years: Annual Review of Plant Biology 2004, "Single-Cell C4 Photosynthesis Versus the Dual-Cell (Kranz) Paradigm" and 2005, "Calcium Oxalate in Plants: Formation and Function," and a New Phytologist Tansley Review 2005, "Anatomical and Chemical Defenses of Conifer Bark Against Bark Beetles and Other Pests." In addition to his own research program, Vince had an extraordinary record of collaborative research, which included scientists from across the U.S. and world wide, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Germany, Iran, India, Israel, Korea, Norway and Russia.

Beginning in his student years, Vince received many honors, all well-deserved. In 2004, he was the recipient of the WSU College of Sciences Distinguished Faculty Research Award. The same year, he was included on the ISI list of researchers Most Highly Cited in Animal and Plant Sciences, a distinction based on the high-profile nature of his over 150 publications.

In addition to being a dedicated leader and a premier scientist, Vince was respected as a teacher. For many years, he taught Plant Anatomy and courses in Electron Microscopy Technique. Vince was advisor to many graduate students and mentor to many visiting scientists in his laboratory and the EM Center. He was exceptionally generous with his time in teaching techniques and cell biology to any student or researcher who sought his help.

Vincent Franceschi was a prolific scientist whose legacy of work will go on through all his publications, through his influence on colleagues, and through the careers of the many students he mentored. In his spirit, the Vincent Franceschi Research Fellowship is being established. Once it is fully endowed, fellowships will be awarded annually for summer research and off-campus training of graduate students in the School of Biological Sciences studying plant physiology. Vince felt that such professional opportunities are important for students and would contribute to breakthroughs in their research. For now, contributions towards this endeavor can be made to the Vince Franceschi Scholarship Fund, Washington State Employees Credit Union, Pullman Branch, 1220 S. Grand Ave., Pullman WA 99163. For questions, please contact Carmen Hall at carmenh@wsu.edu.