Stephen P. Long facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Long
FRS https://esec.illinois.edu/directory/profile/annlong
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Stephen Patrick Long
13 August 1950 London, England
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| Other names | Steve Long |
| Citizenship | United States |
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| Spouse(s) | Ann Long |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2019) |
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| Thesis | C4 photosynthesis in cool temperate climates, with reference to Spartina townsendii (S.L.) in Britain (1976) |
| Doctoral advisor | Dr. H.W. Woolhouse |
| Doctoral students | Lisa Ainsworth |
Stephen Patrick Long is a scientist who studies plants. He was born in London, England, on August 13, 1950. He is famous for his work on how plants make their own food, a process called photosynthesis. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Stephen Long teaches at the University of Illinois in the USA. He is also a visiting professor at Lancaster University and University of Oxford in the UK. His research has shown that we can change how plants do photosynthesis. This can help plants grow more food and fuel. He has also helped us understand how climate change affects plants. He has shared his ideas with leaders like former President George W. Bush and Bill Gates.
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Early Life and Learning
Stephen Long grew up in London, England. His high school biology teacher made him interested in plants. He also wanted to help solve problems like famines, which were happening in the 1960s. This made him want to find ways to grow more food.
He earned his first degree in plant science from Reading University in 1972. Then, he got his PhD in plant environmental physiology from Leeds University in 1976. In 2007, Lancaster University gave him another special degree. This was to honor his important work in environmental research.
Career and Plant Research
Stephen Long started working at the University of Essex in 1975. He became a full professor there in 1990. In 1999, he moved to the University of Illinois. He has also worked at other places like the Smithsonian Institution.
In 2007, he helped start the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI). This was a huge research project. It aimed to find new ways to make energy from plants. It was a partnership between several universities and the company BP.
Making Plants Grow Better
In 2012, Stephen Long started leading a project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE). This project gets money from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal is to make plants use photosynthesis more efficiently. This helps grow more food around the world in a sustainable way. The RIPE project has received more funding to continue its important work.
He has also led other projects that focus on making plants better. For example, one project worked on plants that could replace oil. Another project used special tools to study energy crops.
Discoveries and Innovations
Stephen Long has written over 400 scientific papers. He found the most productive land plant known, called Echinochloa polystachya. He also helped make Miscanthus a useful plant for bioenergy.
He created the first computer model of how photosynthesis works. His recent work focuses on changing plants to make them photosynthesize better. This helps increase how much food and bioenergy crops can produce.
He helped create SoyFACE. This is the world's largest outdoor lab. It studies how future climate conditions will affect crops. In 2016, his team showed that they could increase crop yields by using computer-designed changes. This was a big discovery!
Recently, his team found a way to make a crop need 25 percent less water. It still grew just as much food. They did this by changing one gene found in all plants. This is a huge step for farming in dry areas.
Awards and Honors
Stephen Long has received many awards for his work.
- In 1972, he won a prize from the University of Reading.
- He has been recognized as a highly cited researcher in plant science since 2005.
- In 2007, he became a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
- He has given special lectures at famous universities like University of Oxford and Princeton University.
- In 2012, he won the Charles F. Kettering Award for his photosynthesis research. He also won the Marsh Award for his climate change research.
- In 2013, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very old and respected group that honors top scientists.
- In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
