Shiu-Ying Hu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shiu-Ying Hu
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| Born | 22 February 1910 Xuzhou, Jiangsu, Qing Empire
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| Died | 22 May 2012 (aged 102) |
| Alma mater | Ginling College (BS) Lingnan University, Guangzhou (MS) Radcliffe College, Harvard (PhD) |
| Occupation | botanist |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | West China Union University Harvard University Chung Chi College, CUHK |
| Doctoral advisor | Elmer Drew Merrill |
| Influences | Albert Steward |
Shiu-Ying Hu (born February 22, 1910 – died May 22, 2012) was a famous Chinese botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. She was known for her deep knowledge of many plant types. Her friends even called her "Holly Hu" because she studied holly plants so much! She also studied plants used for medicine and food.
Contents
The Life of Shiu-Ying Hu
Shiu-Ying Hu was born in 1910. She grew up in a farming family in a village in China. This village was near the city of Xuzhou. She loved learning about plants from a young age.
Her Education and Studies
She went to Ginling College and earned a Bachelor's degree in Biology. Then she got a Master's degree in Biology from Lingnan University. In 1946, she traveled to the United States. There, she studied at Radcliffe College to get her Ph.D. in Botany. A Ph.D. is a very high university degree. In 1949, she became one of the first Chinese women to earn a Ph.D. in botany from Harvard University.
Her Work as a Botanist
After finishing her studies, Dr. Hu worked as a research botanist. She worked at the Arnold Arboretum. This is a famous plant research center. In 1968, she became a Senior Lecturer. She taught in the Department of Biology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
Even after she retired in 1975, she kept doing research! She studied plants at the CUHK Herbarium and Harvard University Herbaria. A herbarium is like a library for dried plant specimens. During her long career, she wrote over 160 scientific papers. She also collected more than 30,000 plant samples. She even published a big book called Food Plants of China. This book was 800 pages long!
A Special Tree Song
The famous composer John Williams wrote a piece of music. It is called Tree Song for Violin and Orchestra. He said that Dr. Hu was a big inspiration for this music. The first part of the music is even named "Dr. Hu and the Meta-Sequoia".
Williams shared a story about Dr. Hu. They were walking together and stopped by a large tree. Dr. Hu told him it was the oldest metasequoia tree in North America. She had planted it herself in the 1940s. She used seeds she brought from China. Williams was very surprised by this. He then told her about a younger metasequoia tree he loved. Dr. Hu told him that tree was also one of "her children." This meant she had planted that one too!
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Shiu-Ying Hu received many awards for her amazing work.
- In 1962, another botanist named a new plant after her. It was called Shiuyinghua.
- In 1992, an award was created in her honor. It is called the Shiu-Ying Hu Award.
- In 2001, she received the Bronze Bauhinia Star. This is a special award from Hong Kong.
- In 2002, she became an Honorary Fellow of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
- In 2003, she was called an "Outstanding Chinese" in a TV show.
- In 2010, she was named one of the top ten "Loving Hearts of Hong Kong."
Her Final Years
Shiu-Ying Hu passed away on May 22, 2012. She was 102 years old. She died in Hong Kong.
See also
In Spanish: Shiu Ying Hu para niños
