Harvard has not yet named a new director for its herbaria. A departmental committee that has been formed to plan the next five years of development will likely play a role in any new appointments, Knoll said.
While Donoghue's departure does not create an immediate need for a replacement, it does "press on the department's need to articulate a larger plan, with attention to the herbarium," Knoll said.
Donoghue said he is also excited about the title of his position, named for the famed ecologist and evolutionary biologist G. Evelyn Hutchinson.
"I actually consider myself very honored because Hutchinson was always a hero of mine." Donoghue said. "He was someone I looked up to and admired."
More importantly, he said he looks forward to developing the program at Yale, with a special focus on biodiversity.
"The more we can do to have excellence in the area of biodiversity, the better," he said. "I hope in a few years, I can look back on this and say Yale has gotten much better in this area."