Rate My Professor Charles Maynard

Charles A. Maynard served as Professor in the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). He earned a B.S. in Forest Management in 1974, an M.S. in Forest Biology in 1977, and a Ph.D. in Forest Biology and Wood Science in 1980, all from Iowa State University. Maynard taught courses including Plant Tissue Culture Methods and Introduction to Arboriculture. His research focused on plant tissue culture and biotechnology applications in forest trees, with extensive collaboration on the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project, which he co-founded and co-directed. This work involved developing methods for genetic transformation to restore blight-resistant American chestnut trees, along with related efforts on American elm and hybrid poplar. Maynard received the Exemplary Researcher Award in 2014-15 jointly with collaborator William Powell, the Charles Burnham Award from The American Chestnut Foundation in 2017, and contributed to a New York State Commendation Award in 2023. He retired after 36 years at SUNY ESF and passed away in February 2024.

Maynard published numerous papers and chapters on topics such as chestnut tissue culture, gene transfer, pathogen resistance, and germplasm collection, often in collaboration with Powell and students. Their joint efforts spanned nearly 25 years and involved over 60 students, supported by funding from sources including the American Chestnut Foundation, McIntire-Stennis, NSF, and USDA. Key contributions included advancing transgenic techniques that led to the first blight-resistant transgenic American chestnut trees and establishing restoration plantations and germplasm archives in New York State. Maynard also participated in public outreach through presentations and germplasm collection initiatives.

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