After 39 years at Purdue University, Dr. Carole Lembi retired from the Botany and Plant Pathology Department on December 31, 2010. Her career as professor of botany and weed science centered primarily on research with teaching responsibilities, but she also served an important role in extension education; spreading the word about aquatic plant management, nuisance algae, and weed science principles throughout the state of Indiana and the entire Midwest.

Dr. Lembi began her career at Purdue University as a postdoctoral assistant and joined the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology faculty in 1971, becoming one of the first female professionals to be hired by the College of Agriculture and as such, blazed a trail for other female scholars in the field of agriculture at that time.

She taught several different courses over the years including Advanced Weed Science, Principles of Plant Classification, Introduction to Plant Science and others, but her mainstay courses were Aquatic Botany and Aquatic Plant Management.   Carole was named Outstanding Teacher in the College of Agriculture at Purdue University in 1997 and is included in Purdue’s Book of Great Teachers.

Dr. Lembi has been actively involved with several national and regional societies throughout her career.  She has been a member of the Aquatic Plant Management Society since 1972 and served on the APMS Board of Directors from 1987-1990.  She was also one of the founding members of the Midwest APMS Chapter.  She served as Editor of the Journal of Phycology for eight years, earning the title of “life member” in the Phycological Society of America for her contributions to that Society.

Dr. Lembi is nationally recognized for her dedication and service to the field of the aquatic plant management, the APMS and other professional scientific organizations.