John Monteith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Monteith
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A portrait of John Lennox Monteith (date unknown)
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John Lennox Monteith
3 September 1929 |
| Died | 20 July 2012 (aged 82) |
| Known for | Application of physics in biology |
| Awards | FRS (1971), FRSE (1972) |
John Lennox Monteith (born September 3, 1929 – died July 20, 2012) was a British scientist. He was a pioneer in using the rules of physics to understand biology. He became an expert in many areas. These included how to manage water for farming and how weather affects crops and animals.
Understanding How Plants Use Water
John Monteith worked with another scientist, Howard Penman. Together, they created something called the Penman-Monteith equation. This important equation helps predict how much water plants release into the air. It is used worldwide to figure out how much water crops need for irrigation. The Food and Agriculture Organization recommends using it.
Monteith's research covered many topics. He studied how the environment affects farming. He also looked at how weather affects tiny areas around plants. His work helped us understand how plants grow and produce food. He also studied how heat affects animals. His findings were published in scientific journals around the world.
He was the President of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1978 to 1980. In 1980, he told other scientists something important. He said that to predict how global warming might change crop yields, they first needed to understand how weather affects crops.
When he retired in 1992, a special conference was held to honor his work. Another conference took place in 2008. The American Society of Agronomy also held a special event for him in 1996. Many researchers he guided went on to hold important positions worldwide. This shows how much his work influenced science.
Monteith's Career Journey
John Monteith worked at several important places during his career:
- 1954: He started at the Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden, UK.
- 1967: He moved to the University of Nottingham, School of Agriculture, UK.
- 1987: He worked at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in India.
- He was also a senior visiting fellow for the NERC.
Awards and Special Recognitions
John Monteith received many awards for his important work:
- 1971: He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- 1972: He was also chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- 1989: He won the Rank Prize. He received it for explaining how physical factors control crop growth.
- 1989: The University of Edinburgh gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
- 1994: He received the Symons Gold Medal from the Royal Meteorological Society.
When he was nominated for the Royal Society, it was noted that he made amazing contributions. He helped us understand the weather conditions around crops. He showed how plants use energy, water, and carbon dioxide. He also studied how sunlight changes as it passes through plants. He was very good at creating new tools for measurement. He was a leader in applying physics to understand how plants grow in their environment.
