A tribute to Thomas Roosevelt Punnett, Jr. (1926-2008).

We honor here Thomas (Tom) Roosevelt Punnett, Jr. (May 25, 1926-July 4, 2008), who was a pioneer of Biology, particularly of biochemistry of plants and algae, having specialized in photosynthesis under Robert Emerson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He did exciting work on regulation and control of various metabolic reactions. He was an innovator and raconteur par excellence, and he prized critical thinking. His enthusiasm for basic science questions was matched by his grasp of their "real-world" implications. His last project was a patent for anaerobic sewage treatment that he hoped would lead to solution of waste disposal and energy creation world wide, including the clean-up of Lake Erie, where he had sailed as a boy. On the personal side, he had a strong sense of morality and a great wit and humor. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011