YSU dedicates Chuey's herbarium, 4th biggest in Ohio, in his memory today

YOUNGSTOWN

Carl F. Chuey, a Youngstown State University biology professor, grew the university’s herbarium from about 200 plant specimens in 1967 to about 115,000.

YSU dedicated the herbarium inside Ward Beecher Hall in Chuey’s memory at a Thursday morning gathering. Chuey, who died last spring at 70, left a $100,000 gift to establish a program endowment to fund the herbarium, a room that houses a collection of dried plants.

Chuey believed in hands-on learning, said Gary Walker, professor and chairman of YSU’s biological sciences department. His students collected samples of plant specimens rather than just seeing examples in textbooks.

“What Carl did was become the driving force for the development of a research-based herbarium,” Walker said.

The herbarium is the fourth-largest of the 35 in Ohio. It includes specimens from 90 countries, all 50 states and six continents.

Read more about the facility and its benefactor in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.