C. Wayne Ellett did extenstive teaching research and outreach in botany, plant pathology and mycology. He taught several courses in the department. He was the first director of the plant disease clinic in the department, which is now named the C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic in his honor.
Ellett was first appointed as instructor in botany in 1946. He earned hiis BS from Kent State (1938), and his MS (1940) and PhD (1955) from Ohio State, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Ellett was well known for his presentations throughout Ohio, "The Wonderful World of Mushrooms," and was frequently consulted in cases of mushroom poisoning. Field crops were his specialty, but he was also interested in ornamental diseases. He also did extensive work with USAID in India and operated summer science programs to improve science and math education. He was a founding member of the North American Mycological Society, and was a fellow in the Ohio Academy of Science. Dr. Ellett retired in 1981, after which he remained active in consulting and writing. He completed the Ohio Plant Disease Index in 1989, which is a significant historical document that includes many first reports of diseases in Ohio and the U.S.
Below: Ellett, second from right, on one of his many field trips with students.
