When Professor Sharkey started at UW-Madison, there was no department specifically dedicated to biology, and the introduction to biology course was overloaded, with students unable to get a seat until their senior year. Sharkey was a leader in expanding the program and getting more people to teach this class, which over a few years would alleviate the issue.

Professor Sharkey was also a primary driver in the creation of the biology major at UW-Madison.

Continue reading at: https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2025/2025-07-thomas-d-sharkey-retires-after-51-years-of-plant-research.aspx

This article was posted in Alumni, Award, Career.