This category includes "giants" from each department who spent time at the University before national and international awards evolved to recognize exceptional scholarship in those respective fields.
| Awardee | Discipline | Years at UMN |
H.K. HayesResearcher, teacher, and author in plant breeding, who developed techniques for breeding hybrids and disease resistance used today, and who wrote an internationally adopted textbook |
Agronomy & Plant Genetics | 1915-1952 |
William AndersonFor more than fifty years a prominent scholar, advisor, teacher, activist-reformer, and disciplinary leader in political science |
Political Science | 1916-1957 |
Joseph ValasekDiscoverer of the phenomenon of ferroelectricity, the electrical analog of ferromagnetism, one of the most important physical science discoveries ever made at Minnesota |
Physics | 1922-1965 |
Richard HartshorneOne of geography's most prominent theorists and historians, noted for his classic book "The Nature of Geography" |
Geography | 1924-1941 |
Florence L. GoodenoughProfessor and author of numerous texts and articles dealing with exceptional children and mental testing, well known for her "Draw-a-Man" Test used as an index of intelligence. |
Child Development | 1925-1947 |
Jonas J. ChristensenPioneer in the genetics of plant pathogens, a superb teacher and a contributor to international agriculture |
Plant Pathology | 1925-1964 |
Ralph Hall BrownOne of the country's most eminent historical geographers, author of the classic books "Mirror for Americans" and "Historical Geography of the United States" |
Geography | 1929-1948 |
Katharine J. DensfordDeveloped administrative, teaching and treatment techniques that came into common use in hospitals and schools throughout the world |
Dean of the School of Nursing | 1930-1959 |
C.B. BurnhamPioneering plant geneticist, who contributed to our knowledge of basic genetic mechanisms and wrote a unique textbook. In retirement, led scientific effort to restore the American Chestnut. |
Agronomy & Plant Genetics | 1938-1972 |