Enid MacRobbie facts for kids

Enid Anne Campbell MacRobbie (born 5 December 1931) is a Scottish scientist who studies plants. She is a highly respected professor at the University of Cambridge in England. She is also a Life Fellow at Girton College.

Professor MacRobbie is an expert in biophysics. This field looks at how physics works in living things. She is especially interested in how tiny particles, called ion fluxes, move inside plants. She also studies stomata, which are small pores on plant leaves.

Early Life and Career

Enid MacRobbie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on December 5, 1931. She grew up to become a leading plant scientist.

In 1987, she made history at the University of Cambridge. She became the first woman scientist there to be given a "Personal Professorship." This means she earned her professor title based on her amazing research.

Awards and Recognition

Professor MacRobbie has received many important honors for her work. In 1991, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is a very old and respected group for scientists.

Later, in 1998, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States. These honors show how important her discoveries are in the world of science.

What She Studies

Professor MacRobbie's main research focuses on how plants control water and nutrients. She studies how ions, which are tiny charged particles, move in and out of plant cells. This movement is called "ion flux."

She also deeply studies stomata. These are tiny openings on the surface of plant leaves. Stomata open and close to let carbon dioxide in for photosynthesis and to release water vapor. Understanding how stomata work is key to understanding how plants survive.