Obituary for Geza Hrazdina
GENEVA Geza Hrazdina, Professor Emeritus, Food Science, Cornell University, passed away peacefully with his wife Minou at his side at the Geneva General Hospital in Geneva New York on June 2, 2022.
Geza Hrazdina was born in Letenye, Hungary on March 16, 1939. The only child of Geza Hrazdina and Maria Volgyi. After the 1956 Russian Invasion of Hungary, and spending time in a prisoner camp in Yugoslavia, he eventually left his beloved country in 1958.
Professor Hrazdina was awarded a scholarship to pursue higher education in Switzerland where he attended the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) – Zurich. He received his master’s in Agriculture Chemistry in 1963 and his doctorate in Agricultural Biochemistry in 1966.
After his Postdoctoral Research Associate position at Cornell University, he accepted an Assistant Professor position in 1968. In 1973 he was promoted to Associate Professor, then to full Professor of Biochemistry in 1981.
At Cornell he served as Faculty Council Representative and co-Chair of the Cornell Genomics Initiative that transformed the life sciences on campus in the late 1990s -early 2000s. He served with the Cornell International Institute of Food and Agricultural Development Eastern European Program from 1991 until his retirement.
During his tenure he was invited as visiting professor at the Universitaet Freiburg, Germany, September 1974 – August 1975, then in 1979 to the Technical University Budapest, Hungary March 1979 – September 1979, returning to Germany to the Universitaet Koeln in September 1981 – May 1982.
His service to science and training extended well beyond Cornell. In 1993, he was asked by the National Science Foundation in Washington D.C. to serve as the Program Director for the Division of Cell Biology and he contributed his expertise to multiple grant review panels for the National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture and NASA. He served the Phytochemical Society of North America in several capacities including on the Advisory Committee, Executive Committee and as President from 1982-1983. In 2001 his research contributions were acknowledged with one of the highest scientific honors of his home country through election to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Professor Hrazdina’s specialty in Food Science concentrated on the chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology of flavonoids/anthocyanins, key pigments central to the coloration and nutrient quality of flowers, fruits and processed food products including wine. Later he used his biochemical knowledge and modern molecular approaches to investigate disease resistance and fruit ripening mechanisms of crop plants to reduce the need for agricultural chemicals.
Over the years he mentored several graduate students and his laboratory hosted visiting scientists from around the world seeking to learn from and participate in his laboratory’s research. His plant biochemistry expertise was sought by both national and international scientists as demonstrated by selection to national and international advisory committees and numerous speaking invitations for scientific conferences in the US and abroad. He authored more than 80 peer reviewed journal articles in accredited scientific journals, several books and a dozen book chapters in addition to widely cited reviews on flavonoid biochemistry and the physical association and cellular localization of enzymes catalyzing steps in a common biosynthetic pathway. His work has been cited over 5000 times in other scientific publications.
Professor Hrazdina was twice awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Fellow award. First by the Biological Institute of the University of Freiburg, Germany in 1975, again in 1982 by the Institute of Botany at the University of Cologne, Germany. He was awarded a National Academy of Sciences (USA) fellowship in 1979 to work with the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University, Budapest.
In his personal life, Professor Hrazdina enjoyed classical music and subscribed to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. He also enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors for the Geneva Music Festival. He was a world traveler and explorer who loved nature and hunting. Geza spent much of his free time skiing and locally on Seneca Lake fishing and boating. As a proud member of the Finger Lakes Region Porsche Club of America he often tested the limits of his prized Porsche 911 in Watkins Glen. He maintained his life-long quest to understand and enjoy good food and wine.
Geza was greatly respected by his colleagues for his contribution to science. He knew “how to share his thoughts and engage different audiences”. “He was one the participants that old and young scientists enjoyed engaging with in discussions, at meals and at the conference cocktail sessions with his engaging smile and ability to easily interject humor into every conversation”.
Friends remember him as generous, a man of “high integrity in every aspect of his life,” a “real gentleman”, “an optimist who found the good side of any situation”, “adventurer” and “a wonderful friend”.
He is survived by Minou Hemmat Hrazdina, his devoted wife of 34 years, his son Geza K. Hrazdina, his daughter in-law Kate, and granddaughter, Katherina.
No services are planned at this time. A celebration of his life will be announced at a later date.
Those who wish can make Donations in Geza’s honor to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra or Geneva Music Festival.
Geza Hrazdina was born in Letenye, Hungary on March 16, 1939. The only child of Geza Hrazdina and Maria Volgyi. After the 1956 Russian Invasion of Hungary, and spending time in a prisoner camp in Yugoslavia, he eventually left his beloved country in 1958.
Professor Hrazdina was awarded a scholarship to pursue higher education in Switzerland where he attended the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) – Zurich. He received his master’s in Agriculture Chemistry in 1963 and his doctorate in Agricultural Biochemistry in 1966.
After his Postdoctoral Research Associate position at Cornell University, he accepted an Assistant Professor position in 1968. In 1973 he was promoted to Associate Professor, then to full Professor of Biochemistry in 1981.
At Cornell he served as Faculty Council Representative and co-Chair of the Cornell Genomics Initiative that transformed the life sciences on campus in the late 1990s -early 2000s. He served with the Cornell International Institute of Food and Agricultural Development Eastern European Program from 1991 until his retirement.
During his tenure he was invited as visiting professor at the Universitaet Freiburg, Germany, September 1974 – August 1975, then in 1979 to the Technical University Budapest, Hungary March 1979 – September 1979, returning to Germany to the Universitaet Koeln in September 1981 – May 1982.
His service to science and training extended well beyond Cornell. In 1993, he was asked by the National Science Foundation in Washington D.C. to serve as the Program Director for the Division of Cell Biology and he contributed his expertise to multiple grant review panels for the National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture and NASA. He served the Phytochemical Society of North America in several capacities including on the Advisory Committee, Executive Committee and as President from 1982-1983. In 2001 his research contributions were acknowledged with one of the highest scientific honors of his home country through election to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Professor Hrazdina’s specialty in Food Science concentrated on the chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology of flavonoids/anthocyanins, key pigments central to the coloration and nutrient quality of flowers, fruits and processed food products including wine. Later he used his biochemical knowledge and modern molecular approaches to investigate disease resistance and fruit ripening mechanisms of crop plants to reduce the need for agricultural chemicals.
Over the years he mentored several graduate students and his laboratory hosted visiting scientists from around the world seeking to learn from and participate in his laboratory’s research. His plant biochemistry expertise was sought by both national and international scientists as demonstrated by selection to national and international advisory committees and numerous speaking invitations for scientific conferences in the US and abroad. He authored more than 80 peer reviewed journal articles in accredited scientific journals, several books and a dozen book chapters in addition to widely cited reviews on flavonoid biochemistry and the physical association and cellular localization of enzymes catalyzing steps in a common biosynthetic pathway. His work has been cited over 5000 times in other scientific publications.
Professor Hrazdina was twice awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Fellow award. First by the Biological Institute of the University of Freiburg, Germany in 1975, again in 1982 by the Institute of Botany at the University of Cologne, Germany. He was awarded a National Academy of Sciences (USA) fellowship in 1979 to work with the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University, Budapest.
In his personal life, Professor Hrazdina enjoyed classical music and subscribed to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. He also enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors for the Geneva Music Festival. He was a world traveler and explorer who loved nature and hunting. Geza spent much of his free time skiing and locally on Seneca Lake fishing and boating. As a proud member of the Finger Lakes Region Porsche Club of America he often tested the limits of his prized Porsche 911 in Watkins Glen. He maintained his life-long quest to understand and enjoy good food and wine.
Geza was greatly respected by his colleagues for his contribution to science. He knew “how to share his thoughts and engage different audiences”. “He was one the participants that old and young scientists enjoyed engaging with in discussions, at meals and at the conference cocktail sessions with his engaging smile and ability to easily interject humor into every conversation”.
Friends remember him as generous, a man of “high integrity in every aspect of his life,” a “real gentleman”, “an optimist who found the good side of any situation”, “adventurer” and “a wonderful friend”.
He is survived by Minou Hemmat Hrazdina, his devoted wife of 34 years, his son Geza K. Hrazdina, his daughter in-law Kate, and granddaughter, Katherina.
No services are planned at this time. A celebration of his life will be announced at a later date.
Those who wish can make Donations in Geza’s honor to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra or Geneva Music Festival.