Mary Parke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr Mary Winifred Parke
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| Born | 23 March 1908 Bootle, Liverpool, England
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| Died | 17 July 1989 Plymouth, UK
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Notre Dame Convent School, University of Liverpool |
| Known for | Marine botany, Phycology |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Marine Biologist, Phycologist |
| Institutions | Marine Biological Station (Isle of Man), Development Commission and the Ministry of Supply, Marine Biological Association |
| Thesis | The Mesogloiaceae and Associated Families (1932) |
| Doctoral advisor | Margery Knight |
Mary Winifred Parke (born March 23, 1908 – died July 17, 1989) was a British scientist. She was a marine botanist and studied phycology, which is the study of algae. She became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1972, which is a very high honor for a scientist.
Discovering Tiny Ocean Plants
Mary Parke made many important discoveries about marine algae. She wrote many articles about her findings. One of her biggest achievements was figuring out how to grow algae in a lab. This was a new and very helpful idea!
She found a tiny plant called Isochrysis galbana. This plant was perfect for feeding baby oysters. Today, people all over the world use this algae for fish farming. Scientists also use it in their research labs. If someone needed to know what algae to feed to sea creatures like crab larvae or mussels, they would ask Mary Parke for advice.
Mary Parke was also known for her amazing drawings of algae. She used microscopes to see the tiny details. Her drawings were very accurate and beautiful. They helped other scientists understand what these tiny plants looked like.
Mary Parke's Life and Work
Mary Parke was born in Bootle, a town in Liverpool, England, on March 23, 1908.
She went to Liverpool University to study Botany. She was very good at science and won a special scholarship. She earned her first degree in 1929. Later, she received her PhD in 1932 and a DSc in 1950. These are advanced degrees that show a lot of scientific knowledge.
Mary Parke's first book, Manx Algae (1931), was written with her professor, Margery Knight. This book became a very important guide for studying algae. While working at the Port Erin Marine Biological Station, she researched how to raise and feed oyster larvae. This is where she discovered new tiny organisms, like Isochrysis galbana.
In the 1940s, Mary Parke helped create the Plymouth Culture Collection. This was a special collection of marine algae grown in labs. In 1953, she published the first Check-List of Marine Algae. After World War II, she continued her work on tiny plankton. She wrote important papers about flagellates, which are tiny organisms with whip-like tails. She often worked with Professor Irene Manton.
In 1952, Mary Parke helped start the British Phycological Society. She also edited their magazine and was the President of the society from 1959 to 1960.
Mary Parke received many international awards for her work. She became a member of the Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands in 1970. She also joined the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in 1971. In 1972, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society. She was also a Fellow of the Institute of Biology and the Linnean Society. In 1986, her old university, Liverpool University, gave her an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Mary Parke retired in 1973. She passed away in Plymouth in 1989 after a short illness. Her scientific papers and personal notes are kept safe at the National Marine Biological Library in Plymouth.
