Shang Fa Yang

Shang Fa Yang, an internationally acclaimed plant scientist whose research unlocked the key to prolonging freshness in fruits and flowers, died Feb. 12 in a Davis hospital from complications of pneumonia. He was 74.

Although his four decades of research probed the technical intricacies of plant biochemistry, the practical results can be seen in every produce section throughout the world.

Yang, an expert on the plant hormone ethylene and its important role in agriculture, was elected in 1990 to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors for scientists in the United States. Yang was the author of more than 160 scientific publications.

Paul Stumpf

Paul Karl Stumpf, a professor emeritus of molecular and cellular biology who helped build the campus both physically and in scientific reputation, died Feb. 10 in Davis after a long illness. He was 87.

Stumpf pioneered the study of the biochemistry of lipids (fats and oils) in plants, training many students who became leaders in their fields, and he published more than 250 research papers over four decades. He served as chair of the the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics four times during his career at UC Davis. Among many honors and awards, Stumpf was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences.