If you asked Professor Thomas Meixner what motivated his research you were almost certain to hear “Making the world better through biogeochemistry”. A quick perusal of Tom’s interdisciplinary contributions demonstrates the numerous ways he met that goal, but these highly-cited papers, reports, projects, and presentations are but a small part of his contributions. Tom is remembered primarily for his unselfish and unwavering commitment to “Making the world better through service to others”. Tom was known for his untiring efforts to train students to be excellent scientists, bolster those not well represented in our community, develop a culture of collaboration, respect, and fairness, and challenge us all, through words and actions, to be better people. Tom’s mentoring contributions were legendary with an unmatched ability to challenge his students to perform their best while also knowing they were valued and respected. A natural leader, he demanded no less from his colleagues. He did all of this with remarkable determination, a smile, and kindness that came from his heart.
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