Phyllis Clinch facts for kids

Phyllis E. M. Clinch (born September 12, 1901 – died October 19, 1984) was an amazing Irish scientist. She was a botanist, which means she studied plants. She is best known for her important work on plant viruses, which are tiny germs that can make plants sick.

Phyllis Clinch earned her first degree from University College Dublin (UCD) in 1923. She got top grades in both botany (plant science) and chemistry. She then received a scholarship to continue her studies. In 1924, she earned her Masters degree. Later, she completed her PhD, focusing on how plants work, especially trees like pines. In 1929, she started working as a research assistant. She helped study plant virus diseases at UCD. She also became an elected member of the Royal Dublin Society's science council in 1942. She later served as a vice president before retiring in 1971.

Early Life & Learning

Growing Up in Dublin

Phyllis Clinch was born on September 12, 1901. Her parents were James and Mary Clinch. She was their fourth daughter. She grew up with her family in Rathmines, a part of Dublin, Ireland.

Her School Journey

As a child, Phyllis went to the Loreto school. She then continued her education at University College Dublin (UCD). She studied there from 1919 to 1923. She graduated with excellent grades in both chemistry and botany. She was the best student in her class.

Because of her great results, she received a scholarship for further study. In 1924, she earned her Master of Science (MSc) degree. She also received a research fellowship in 1925. In 1928, she earned her PhD. For her PhD, she studied how conifer leaves (like pine needles) use energy. She did this research in London. From 1926 to 1928, she published five scientific papers with her supervisor, Joseph Doyle. After that, she studied cells (cytology) in Paris from 1928 to 1929.

Her Science Career

Researching Plant Viruses

In 1929, Phyllis Clinch became a research assistant at UCD. She joined a team studying plant viruses at Albert Agricultural College. She published her research with her colleagues in a science journal. They wrote nine papers between 1932 and 1949. Her work also appeared in Nature, a famous international science journal.

Becoming a Professor

In 1949, she became a lecturer in the botany department at UCD. In 1961, she took over from Joseph Doyle as a professor. This made her the first woman professor of botany at the university! She helped plan the move of the botany department to a new campus. She oversaw the move in 1964. She retired from UCD in 1971.

Important Roles and Honors

In 1942, Phyllis was chosen to be a member of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) scientific committee. She served on their council from 1973 to 1977. She was also the vice-president from 1975 to 1977. In 1949, she was one of the first women ever elected to the Royal Irish Academy (RIA). Three other women were elected at the same time. She served on the RIA council from 1973 to 1977. She was also vice-president there from 1975 to 1977.

Awards and Recognition

Special Doctorates

In 1943, Phyllis Clinch was given an honorary Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.). This special award was given because of her amazing published scientific work.

The Boyle Medal

On March 30, 1961, she became the first woman to receive the Boyle Medal from the RDS. This was a huge honor! The next woman to receive this award was Margaret Murnane, a physicist, 50 years later. Phyllis received the medal for all her important scientific work and publications.

Honored with Portraits

In 2016, portraits of the first four women elected to the RIA were hung at the Academy House. Phyllis Clinch's portrait was among them. This was the first time women's portraits had been displayed there in 230 years! The portraits were painted by Vera Klute. Relatives of the women were there for the special event. These portraits were part of a campaign called "Women on the Walls." This campaign helps show the important work of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Her Most Famous Work

Helping Potato Farmers

In the 1930s, Phyllis Clinch became famous around the world. She discovered complex viruses in potatoes. She found viruses that didn't show symptoms but still harmed potato crops. She also found viruses that caused damage. Her discoveries helped the Department of Agriculture. They used her findings to grow disease-free potatoes for farmers. This was a big help for the potato industry in Ireland.

Studying Other Plants

Later, she focused on diseases in sugar beets. She also found six different viruses in tomatoes. The Department of Agriculture asked her to find out what was making tomatoes and sugar beets sick. This way, they could tell farmers how to control these diseases.

Fun Facts

Phyllis Clinch was known by a special nickname. Her nephew, Paul Clinch, said that many students called her "Auntie Phyll." This shows how much they respected and liked her.

See also

In Spanish: Phyllis Clinch para niños