Benham Lockhart was born in Kingstown, St Vincent, in the West Indies in 1945. A curious and passionate scientist, he obtained a BS degree in tropical agriculture in 1965 at the University of the West Indies, and a PhD in plant pathology at UC-Riverside in 1969.
Lockhart became a faculty member in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota in 1971, the same year he began working at the Institut Agronomique et Veterinaire at Hassan Il University in Rabat, Morocco. There, he established two modern laboratories for plant virology to address Morocco’s pressing plant health challenges. In Minnesota, his research focused on a little-known group of non-enveloped bacilliform plant-viruses. His work led to the sequencing and naming of the “Badnavirus” group, in collaboration with Neil Olszewski and colleagues.
Beyond his scientific contributions, Dr. Lockhart was a generous mentor, a thoughtful collaborator, and a dedicated educator. His hands-on approach to teaching sparked curiosity and passion in generations of students and young scientists both at the University of Minnesota and around the world.
You can read more about Dr. Lockhart’s legacy in the article, “Ben Lockhart’s World of Bold Discovery”, published in the 2022 edition of Aurora Sporealis. It offers reflections and stories from his collaborators, students, and mentees, along with highlights of his many career accomplishments.
Dr. Lockhart retired from the department in November 2021, and remained here in Minnesota until his passing in April 2025. He will be remembered not only for his scientific accomplishments but also for his enduring impact on our community.