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Historical Perspectives Collection

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A collection of biographies curated by Govindjee Govindjee elink.io | See Original

Plant Scientist Highlight: Andrew Benson

This month we are featuring Andrew Benson, one of the most influential people in the discovery of the Calvin-Benson cycle. Andrew Benson came on the scene at the right time. Around the time he was born, Willstätter and Toll showed that chloroplasts absorbed CO2. After that, the hunt for the reaction…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Michael Purugganan

Why did you decide to pursue science as you went through college, and what got you particularly interested in rice stress and plant domestication?  There were two areas I had an aptitude for in college – science and journalism. I was lucky to get experience in both during my college days,. …

Plant Scientist Highlight: Barbara McClintock

This month we are featuring Barbara McClintock. She was at the cutting edge of her field and many of her discoveries weren’t accepted until years later. She has contributory greatly to the fields of genetics, ethnobotany, and paleobotany. Dr. McClintock grew up as an independent and determined…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Sophien Kamoun

Sophien Kamoun is our plant scientist highlight of the month. He grew up in Tunisia and during the course of his studies, he has lived in Paris, the Netherlands, the United States, and now the United Kingdom. He is active on social media, pioneering ways to connect with other scientists and the public. Dr.…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Maria Harrison

Why did you originally decide to pursue science and what got you interested particularly in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi? I was always interested in science – biology and chemistry were my favorite subjects at school and I was fascinated by microbes and parasites. Also with microscopes and the possibility…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Ottoline Leyser

Why did you originally decide to pursue science and what got you interested particularly in plant hormones? I have always been interested in how things work. It’s the first thing I find myself asking whenever I see something interesting. Science is a great outlet for that sort of curiosity. My…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Kono Yasui

Kono Yasui is our plant biologist highlight of the month. She was born in Japan in 1880. Throughout her life she challenged many of the cultural norms for women at that time. At her father’s encouragement, she constantly pursued education, first at schools for women in Japan, followed by studies…

Plant Scientist Highlight: Alexander von Humboldt

This month we will be highlighting Alexander von Humboldt, who lived from 1769-1859. While he wasn't a classically trained plant scientist, he has had an enormous impact in our field, particularly in the dissemination of research to the public. Von Humboldt is most known for his expeditions to South…