Robert Kingston Vickery, Jr. (1922--) has made meaningful contributions in his chosen profession of plant genetics. Raised in Berkeley, California and educated at Stanford (B.S 1944, Ph.D. 1952), he began his experimental studies on Mimulus in 1948 under the tutelage of Jens Clausen. Reports to the VII International Botanical Congress in Stockholm (1950) and the Carnegie Institution of Washington Year Book (1951) and his dissertation (1952), “A study of the genetic relationships in a sample of the Mimulus guttatus complex” document the start of a remarkably productive career in which he used the monkeyflower to clarify genetic and evolutionary principles and as a teaching and mentoring tool. He began his teaching and research career at the University of Utah in 1952, rose to the rank of professor in 1964, and served as chair for the Department of Genetics, 1962 - 1965. He was honored as University Professor, 1988-1989. He taught some 12,000 students before retiring in 1993. He continues research activities by monitoring Mimulus populations both in the University greenhouse and in situ and working in the laboratory. His publications (~100) include studies on hybridization and crossing barriers; chromosome constitution and behavior; variation, speciation, and systematics; ecology, physiology, and adaptation; breeding systems; and synthesis and integration. They span some 50 years! His mentoring and research genetics and botany activities not only trained his students (numerous undergraduates, 20 M. S., 12 Ph.D, 6 postdocs) but also have proven useful and simulating to a broad array of researchers at other institutions. Dr. Vickery was and is gentle, honest, and open yet rigorous and exacting—characteristics that have served the scientific community, society, and family well.

Key words: ecology, evolution, genetics, Mimulus, systematics, Vickery