This memorial website was created in the memory Olle Björkman, who passed away on November 23rd, 2021. We will remember him forever.
A memorial was held February 20, 2022 at Gamble Garden and around the world online. Please email Thomas for information at tnb1@cornell.edu.
As a graduate student Olle Bjorkman was my inspiration. Then I had the precious privilege to post-doc work closely with Olle for 2+ years. He is the greatest experimental scientist I have known. A synergism of focus, attention to detail, technical prowess and intellectual brilliance. His wonderful life partner Monika is key to Olle's happiness and success at both home and work.
Olle was a fantastic mentor and I learned a lot working with him. I had the privilege to spend a long time with him in California and few months during his visit in my lab in Italy. He is the greatest experimentalist I have known in my career. I appreciated a lot his dedication to science but also his human qualities, always accompanied by his fantastic wife Monika. The time spent with them was always very happy and enjoyable.
The first time I met Olle was in the late 1960s, when I was a young PhD student. I was inspired by his work on the ecophysiology of photosynthesis, linking the performance of the leaf to the function of subcellular processes under contrasting environments. Over the years, Olle has continued to make discoveries that has opened new windows of opportunities for science, and for us who have followed his research. His scientific leadership has been eminent. We have lost a great scientist and an inspiring friend. My deepest condolence to Olle’s family.
Olle’s enthusiasm at work was indeed inspiring, and a big reason why I chose a career in science. He approached life with a similar passion. In their home, Olle and Monika exuded a warm welcome that made each person feel special. His zest for life, curiosity, and kindness are rare qualities that I will admire for the rest of my life. Thanks, Olle and Monika, for all you have given us!
I was fortunate to have Olle and Monika as my next door neighbors at Channing House. Olle was quite ill at that time with poor vision and hearing but none the less he perservered with tremendous courage and began a program devoted to Opera at Channing House. We shared a balcony and garden with Olle and Monika. Little did I know that I had a world class botanist as my "private gardener".
On Olle's birthday I want to share a memory... On July 29, 1993, Olle was in Italy visitng my lab for a while. He and Monika celebrated his 60 yr birthday in Italy. However, Olle and I spent most of the day in the greenhouse, measuring photosyntheis and taking samples for HPLC analyses. It was a real honor for me…
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