Agathe L. van Beverwijk facts for kids

Agathe Louise van Beverwijk (born September 18, 1907 – died July 10, 1963) was a Dutch scientist. She was a mycologist, meaning she studied fungi. She was also a botanist, someone who studies plants.

Agathe spent most of her career at a special place called the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures. This center focuses on studying and keeping collections of fungi. She became the director of this center in 1958 and led it until she died in 1963.

Agathe's Early Life and Education

Agathe Louise van Beverwijk was born in Amsterdam in 1907. She grew up right in the middle of the city.

Studying at University

From 1925 to 1930, Agathe went to the University of Amsterdam. There, she studied biology. Her main subjects were botany (plants), zoology (animals), and geology (Earth's structure).

Becoming a Teacher and Researcher

After finishing university, Agathe became a biology teacher. She taught at a secondary school for a few years. Later, she decided to do research. She worked at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. Her research involved studying tissue culture.

Agathe did not like that her research involved working with animals. Because of this, she left that job. She then spent a year studying English. After getting her teaching diploma, she started teaching biology again. This time, she taught at the International Quakers' School in Ommen.

Working with Fungi

In 1944, the International Quakers' School closed. Agathe then moved to Baarn. There, she began working at the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures. This is a very important center for studying fungi.

Becoming a Director

When Agathe first started, she helped the director, Johanna Westerdijk. Agathe stayed at the center for the rest of her life. In 1958, she became the director herself.

What Agathe Studied

Agathe spent a lot of time identifying different types of fungi. She focused on groups like Fusarium, Pythium, and Phytophthora. She was very interested in a special type of oomycetes that live in both air and water. She wrote many scientific papers about these species.

Fungi Named After Her

Other scientists recognized Agathe's important work. In 1961, a scientist named V. V. Agnihothrudu named a fungus after her. It was called Vanbeverwijkia spirospora. Another French mycologist, Grégoire L. Hennebert, also named a fungus in her honor. He called it Spirosphaera beverwijkiana.

Travels and Memberships

Agathe was a member of important groups. These included the British Mycological Society and the Mycological Society of America.

Visiting Other Institutes

In 1946, she studied for two months in Kew, at the International Mycological Institute. In 1948, she went to Paris. There, she studied with famous mycologists, Maurice Langeron and Emile Rivalier. In 1957, she traveled around the United States. She visited many different places that studied fungi.

Her Passing

Agathe van Beverwijk passed away in 1963. She was on holiday in the Austrian Alps at the time.