Professor Emeritus of Mycology
Cornell University
Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology
Ithaca, NY 14853

(607) 255-2777, (607) 280-5645(Voice)
(607) 273-4357 (Fax)

Education
Ph. D. Cornell University, 1950
B.S. Cornell University, 1946

Professional Experience    

1992-ff Professor Emeritus of Mycology, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology & L. H. Bailey Hortorium

1985-93 Academic Council Member, Systematic Mycology & Lichenology Lab., Chinese Academy of Sciences  

1985-86 Adjunct Professor & Chair, Cornell University, Department of Theatre Arts 

1982-92 Professor of Botany, Cornell University, Bailey Hortorium 

1982 Visiting Lecturer, Academia Sinica, Institute of Microbiology, Beijing 

1978 Adjunktvikar, Copenhagen University, Institut for Sporeplanter, Copenhagen 

1974 Founding Co-Editor of Mycotaxon, an international journal of taxonomy and nomenclature of fungi 

1972-ff Director, Exe Island Biological Station, Portland, ON, Canada  

1969 Consulting Professor, University of the Ryukyus  

1961-92 Professor of Mycology, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology  

1957-58 Fulbright Research Professor, Yokohama National University  

1955-61 Associate Professor, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology  

1951-55 Assistant Professor, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology  

1950-51 Lecturer in Botany, Glasgow University (Scotland), Department of Botany 

1947-50 Teaching Assistant, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology  

1942 Upper School Biology Teacher, Riverdale Country School, Riverdale, NY

Research Interests    

Taxonomy and Nomenclature of fungi, especially Discomycetes.

Administration Duties    

• Director Emeritus of Plant Pathology Herbarium, fifth largest US fungal herbarium,
• overseeing curation and managing loans of specimens to other institutions and use of the collections by staff, students, and visiting scientists.

Professional Organizations    

• Mycological Society of America
• British Mycological Society
• Société Mycologique de France
• Mycological Society of Japan
• International Association of Plant Taxonomists

Honors & Awards    

• Ainsworth Medal for extraordinary service to international mycology, International Mycological Congress, 2010
• British Mycological Society Centenary Fellow (1996)
• Gamma Sigma Delta Cornell Chapter 1992 Distinguished Teaching Award (1993)
• State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (1992)
• Distinguished Mycologist Award, Mycological Society of America (1991)
• Fulbright Senior Research Scholar, Université Catholique de Louvain (1972-73)
• John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow (1957-58, declined)
• National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, Yokohama National University (1957-58)

Publications (10 years) [complete bibliography available as an html download]   

Korf, R.P. 2011. Henry Dissing: a reminiscence. Asocomycete.org 2(4): 7-8.

Korf, R. P. & L. L. Norvell. 2011. Cautionary advice to authors who alter their reprints in any way from the original publication. Mycotaxon 114: 485. [2010]

Korf, R.P., J. W. Lorbeer & W. A. Sinclair. 2010. George Clarence Kent. Memorial Statements, Cornell University Faculty 2008-2009. Office of the Dean of Faculty, Ithaca, New York: 35-37

Korf, R.P. 2009d. Can we really afford an International Code of Mycological Nomenclature? Mycotaxon 110: 505-507.

Korf, R. P. 2009c. Naming Nature: the Clash Between Instinct and Science, by Carol Kaesuk Yoon. Inoculum [suppl. to Mycologia] 60(6): 9-10.

Korf, R. P. 2009b. [Letter, 1 August 2008], pp. 117-118 in S. Knapp & Q. Wheeler [eds.], Letters to Linnaeus. London: The Linnean Society, 324 pp.

Wong, G. J. & R. P. Korf. 2009. Currently known and reported Discomycetes (Ascomycota) of Hawai'i. Pacific Sci. 61: 449-456.

Korf, R. P. 2009a. Indian sarcoscyphaceous fungi, by D. C. Pant and Vindeshwari Prasad. Mycotaxon 107: 511-512.

Korf, R. P. & R. Dirig. 2009. Discomycetes Exsiccati - Fascicles 5 and 6. Mycotaxon 107: 25-34.

Korf, R. P. 2008. Nomenclatural notes. 12. Untangling Hedwig's Octospora villosa: Helvella fibrosa comb. nov. Mycotaxon 103: 307-312.

Abawi, G. S., G. W. Hudler, & R. P. Korf. 2007. In Memoriam William F. Mai 1916-2007. J.Nematol. 39:211-212.

Korf, R. P. 2007d. Fungi of the protected landscape area of Vihorlat, by Sona Ripova, Slavomir Adamcik, Viktor Kucera, and Ladislav Palko. Mycotaxon 102: 437-438.

Korf, R. P. 2007c. MycoKey 2.1, by Thomas Laessoe and Jens H. Petersen. Mycotaxon 102: 434-435.

Korf, R. P. 2007b. On the genus Solenopezia (Fungi: Lachnaceae) and ICBN Art. 58-a sleeping dog bites back. Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 43: 29-32.

Korf, R. P. 2007a. A tribute to Grégoire Laurent Hennebert and Mycotaxon's 100th volume. Mycotaxon 100: 1-4.

Korf, R. P. 2005. Reinventing taxonomy: a curmudgeon's view of 250 years of fungal taxonomy, the crisis in biodiversity, and the pitfalls of the phylogenetic age. Mycotaxon 93: 407-415.

Hodge, K. T., W. Gams, R. A. Samson, R. P. Korf, & K. A. Seifert. 2005. Lectotypification and status of Isaria Pers. : Fr. Taxon 54: 485-489.

Gams, W., K. T. Hodge, R. A. Samson, R. P. Korf, & K. A. Seifert. 2005, (1684) Proposal to conserve the name Isaria (anamorphic fungi) with a conserved type. Taxon 54: 537.

Gams, W,, R. P. Korf, J. I. Pitt, D. L. Hawksworth, M. L. Berbee, & P. M. Kirk, edited by K. A. Seifert. 2003. Has dual nomenclature for fungi run its course? The Article 59 debate. Mycotaxon 88: 493-508.

Korf, R. P. 2003. Mycotaxon gets a face-lift. Inoculum [suppl. to Mycologia] 56(6): 7.

Lizon, P. & R. P. Korf. 2003. Editorial changes coming for Mycotaxon. Mycotaxon 86: 529-530

Korf, R. P. 2002b. S. C. Teng, a Fitzpatrick student, a model taxonomist. Mycosystema 21: 473-474

Korf, R. P. 2002a. Ainsworth & Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi, by Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, John C. David & Joost A. Stalpers, ed. 9. Mycotaxon 82: 475.

Korf, R. P. 2001c. A cautionary tale: on publishing, pirating, copyright infringement, and slander. Inoculum [suppl. to Mycologia] 52(4): 26.

Korf, R. P. 2001b. Molecules, Morphology and Classification: Towards monophyletic genera in the ascomycetes, edited by Keith A. Seifert, Walter Gams, Pedro W. Crous, and Gary J. Samuels. Mycotaxon 77: 499-500.

Korf, R. P. 2001a. Amphithallic; Aneuploid; Apothecium; Ascocarp; Ascoconidium; Ascomycete; Ascospore;Ascus; Binucleate; Bulbil; Clamp Connection; Cleistothecium; Coenocytic; Dikaryotic; Diploid; Fungus; Haploid; Haustorium; Heterokaryosis;Heterothallic; Homokaryosis; Homothallic; Hypha; Hyphopodium; Hysterothecium; Mating Incompatibility; Mating Type; Microsclerotium; Monokaryotic; Multinucleate; Mycelial Fan; Mycelial Mat; Mycelium; Mycology; Nuclear Condition; Parasexual Cycle; Perithecium; Polyploid; Pseudohomothallic; Pseudothecium; Rhizomorph; Runner Hyphae; Sclerotium; Septate, in O. C. Maloy & T. D. Murray [eds.], Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology. 2 vols. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Korf, R. P. & P. Lizon. 2001. The status of the ordinal name Leotiales. Czech Mycol. 52: 255-257.(2000.)