Elisabeth Gantt facts for kids

Elisabeth Gantt (born in 1934) is a famous botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. She is known for her important work on how plants get their energy.

Elisabeth Gantt was born in Yugoslavia. She later moved to the United States. There, she earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1963.

After her Ph.D., Dr. Gantt studied how red and blue-green algae perform photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process plants use to turn sunlight into food. She continued this research at the Smithsonian Institution. There, she discovered special parts called phycobilisomes. These are unique structures that help red algae and cyanobacteria capture light for photosynthesis.

Today, Dr. Gantt is a distinguished professor at the University of Maryland. She still teaches and studies botany and cell biology. Her work has earned her many awards. These include the Darbaker Prize in 1958 and the Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal in 1994. She also became a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. In 1988, she was the first woman to lead the American Society of Plant Biologists. Even after retiring in 2007, she kept doing research.

Early Life and Education

Elisabeth Gantt grew up in Gakovo, Serbia. She went to elementary school there. However, her schooling was stopped in 1944 because of World War II.

After the war, Elisabeth and her family lived in refugee camps. They stayed in Czechoslovakia for a while. Then, they moved to a refugee camp in Germany. Later, they came to the United States. They settled in Chicago, Illinois. This move was possible because Elisabeth's mother was a U.S. citizen.

Discoveries in Plant Science

Dr. Gantt's main focus has been on photosynthesis. This is the amazing way plants and algae make their own food. She spent a lot of time studying algae. Algae are simple plant-like organisms.

Her biggest discovery was finding and describing phycobilisomes. These are special parts inside red algae and cyanobacteria. They act like tiny antennas. They help these organisms collect light energy for photosynthesis. Understanding these structures helps us learn more about how life on Earth uses sunlight.

Awards and Recognition

Elisabeth Gantt has received many honors for her scientific work.

• In 1958, she won the Darbaker Prize from the Botanical Society of America.
• In 1994, she was awarded the Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal. This award came from the National Academy of Sciences.
• She was chosen to be a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. This is a very high honor for scientists.

Dr. Gantt also held important leadership roles. In 1988, she became the first female president of the American Society of Plant Biologists. She is also a member of other important science groups. These include the National Research Council.

References

See also

In Spanish: Elisabeth Gantt para niños