Although educated and well-versed across the spectrum of botany, Fink focused his passion on lichenology, publishing more than 100 research papers, reviews, notes and monographs.
[1] With a specialty in taxonomy, Fink’s contributions to the field of lichenology was in the realm of identifying the relationship, classification and distribution of lichens.
[8] It was during his time at the University of Illinois that Fink made the acquaintance of two professors who inspired him to pursue natural history.
Harvard brought him into contact with another great influencer, an expert and leading authority at the time in the field of lichens.
This and other contacts not only propelled Fink to ultimately deliver his own contributions to the field of botany, but also opened the door for him to obtain his first two teaching jobs.
He went on to develop and advocate a classification scheme that positioned lichens amidst the fungi that he believed were parasitic on their algal component.