Barbara A. Schaal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Anna Schaal
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| Born | 1947 (age 77–78) |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | Yale University, University of Illinois, Chicago |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Doctoral advisor | Donald Levin |
Barbara Anna Schaal is an American scientist born in Berlin, Germany, in 1947. She became a U.S. citizen in 1956. Dr. Schaal is an evolutionary biologist, which means she studies how living things change over time.
She is a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. From 2005 to 2013, she was the vice president of the United States National Academy of Sciences. She was the first woman ever chosen for this important role. Dr. Schaal also advised the U.S. President on science and technology from 2009 to 2017.
Learning About Science
Barbara Schaal grew up in Chicago. She studied biology at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Later, she earned her doctorate degree from Yale University in 1974. A doctorate is the highest degree you can get in a field of study.
What She Studies
Dr. Schaal is famous for her research on the genetics of plants. Genetics is the study of how traits are passed down from parents to their offspring. She uses information from plant DNA to understand how plants change and spread over time.
For example, she studies how plants adapt to different places. She also researches how humans have changed wild plants into the crops we eat today, like corn or wheat. This process is called domestication.
Her Career Journey
Before joining Washington University in 1980, Dr. Schaal taught at the University of Houston and Ohio State University. At Washington University, she led the biology department for a time. In 2009, she was given a special title: Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor.
Dr. Schaal has also held leadership roles in several science groups. She was the president of the Botanical Society of America, which focuses on plants. She also led the Society for the Study of Evolution, a group for scientists who study evolution.
From 2013 to 2020, Dr. Schaal was the dean of Arts & Sciences at Washington University. In 2015, she was chosen to be the president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This is one of the largest science organizations in the world.
In 2017, she gave a speech about how important science is for everyone. She told other scientists that it's their job to speak up for science and show its value to the public. Dr. Schaal also created awards at Washington University to celebrate great teaching and leadership.
Images for kids
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Dr. Barbara Schaal
