Adrienne Clarke facts for kids

Adrienne Elizabeth Clarke (born 6 January 1938) is a very important Australian scientist. She is a professor who studied plants at the University of Melbourne. From 1982 to 1999, she led the Plant Cell Biology Research Centre there.

Professor Clarke has held many big jobs. She was the head of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 1991 to 1996. She also served as the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria from 1997 to 2000. Later, she became the Chancellor of La Trobe University from 2011 to 2017.

About Adrienne Clarke

Adrienne Clarke was born in Melbourne, Australia. When she was a bright student in the 1950s, she faced some challenges because she was a girl. She went to Ruyton Girls' School. In 1955, she started studying science at the University of Melbourne.

She earned her first degree in Biological Sciences in 1959. Then, she completed her PhD in 1963. In 1959, she married Charles Peter Clarke. She began her research career at the University of Melbourne.

Later, she worked at other universities. These included Baylor University and the University of Michigan in the United States. She also taught at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. In 1969, she returned to the University of Melbourne. She became a professor of Botany in 1985. She retired from the university in 2005.

Professor Clarke was the head of CSIRO, a big science organization, from 1991 to 1996. She was also the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria from 1997 to 2000. This is a special role that helps the Governor. In 2011, she became the Chancellor of La Trobe University. This means she was the head of the university's governing council.

She also worked with many companies. She was on the boards of large businesses like Woolworths and Alcoa. In 1998, she helped start a company called Hexima. This company uses science to help farming.

Her Scientific Work

Adrienne Clarke's science work helped us understand flowering plants much better. She studied how plants reproduce and grow. Her research led to new ways to protect crops from insects and plant diseases.

Her team made important discoveries. They were the first to find the gene that helps plants decide if they can self-pollinate. They also found a special protein called an "arabinogalactan protein."

Professor Clarke is an expert in these areas:

• How plants prevent themselves from self-pollinating.
• The science of special proteins in plants called arabinogalactan-proteins.
• How to use "proteinase inhibitors" to control insect growth.

She has also helped edit important science books. These books cover chemistry, cell biology, and genetics.

Awards and Honours

Adrienne Clarke has received many important awards for her work:

• She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA).
• She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE).
• In 1991, she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This is a high honour for Australians.
• In 1992, she received the Mueller Medal.
• In 2001, she was given the Centenary Medal.
• In 2001, she was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
• In 2004, she became a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This is an even higher honour.
• She is also a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences in the USA.
• She is a Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the USA.

See also

In Spanish: Adrienne Clarke para niños