In Memoriam: Mary Helen Goldsmith, 1933-2024

Mary Helen Goldsmith, professor emerita at Yale University, passed away on October 2. She was 91 years old.

Dr. Goldsmith began her career at Yale University in 1963. She served as a professor of molecular, cellular, and development biology, as well as forestry and environmental studies. Over the next three decades, she held several leadership roles including head of the Marsh Botanical Garden and head of Silliman College. She was also a key member in the founding of Yale’s undergraduate major in environmental studies.

As a scholar, Dr. Goldsmith conducted extensive research on how plant hormones affect plant growth and development, as well as the surrounding environment. She served one term as president of what is now known as the American Society of Plant Biologists.

Dr. Goldsmith was a two-time Ivy League graduate. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and a Ph.D. in plant physiology from Harvard University.