Teacher-Scholar Legacies: Bill Smith

By Erik Johnson, Chair of Biology

Dr. William Smith was the Babcock Chair of Botany at Wake Forest for 26 years and has made substantial intellectual contributions to the department and institution over his tenure. Prior to coming to Wake Forest, he was a faculty member at the University of Wyoming. 

Bill has been an international leader in the field of Ecophysiology, and his research focus was on plant cellular and molecular mechanisms that are impacted by different environmental conditions. A compelling feature of Dr. Smith’s research was that it integrated concepts across many different scales. 

Over his career, Dr. Smith has published 243 peer-reviewed papers! This large body of work has shed light on the adaptive strategies employed by plants in response to changing environmental conditions, informing conservation efforts and representing a significant contribution to our understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing plant responses to environmental stimuli.   

A familiar sight behind Winston Hall, Bill’s research truck served as a signal of the end of field season. His dedication to fieldwork and hands-on research has inspired generations of students. Of note, Dr. Smith has trained 40 graduate students, many of whom are now faculty at many different institutions. In addition to the graduate students he directly supervised, he has served on hundreds of graduate committees within the department and at other institutions. 

Bill taught introductory and more advanced courses in physiology and Plant Physiology during his time at Wake and impacted many undergraduate students. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Bill has been an avid supporter of Wake Forest sports, cheering on the Demon Deacons with unwavering enthusiasm.