Charles Albert Shull

Charles Albert Shull (1879–1962) was an American botanist and plant physiologist who played a central role in establishing plant physiology as a professional discipline in the United States. He was professor of plant physiology in the Department of Botany at the University of Chicago from 1921 to 1944. Shull was the founding president of the American Society of Plant Physiologists in 1924 and the founding editor-in-chief of the society's journal, Plant Physiology, serving from 1925 to 1945. Under his editorial leadership the journal became a major international venue for research in plant physiology and helped shape the development of the field during the early twentieth century. He grew up on an Ohio farm and attended local country schools. Before entering college he worked as a schoolteacher.

Several of his investigations explored the physical and thermodynamic mechanisms underlying plant water movement, including evaporation, osmotic pressures, and imbibitional processes in plant tissues.

In addition to his experimental work, Shull wrote on broader aspects of scientific practice and publishing. In a 1931 article in Science, he criticized the widespread occurrence of inaccurate literature citations and argued that authors should verify references against original sources and avoid unnecessarily long or repetitive paper titles.

Professional leadership and editorial work

Shull played a central role in organizing the emerging community of plant physiologists in the United States during the early twentieth century. In 1924 he was among the leaders involved in establishing the American Society of Plant Physiologists and served as its founding president. 1934 – Stephen Hales Prize for distinguished service to plant physiology

Upon his retirement as editor-in-chief after two decades of service, the society dedicated Volume 20 of Plant Physiology (1945) to Shull in recognition of his leadership and editorial contributions.