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Susanne von Caemmerer facts for kids

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Susanne von Caemmerer

Susanne von Caemmerer Royal Society.jpg
von Caemmerer in 2017
Alma mater Australian National University
Scientific career
Fields Plant physiology
Institutions Australian National University
Thesis On the relationship between chloroplast biochemistry and gas exchange of leaves (1981)

Susanne von Caemmerer is an Australian scientist who studies plants. She is a professor and plant physiologist at the Australian National University. She also helps lead a special research center focused on photosynthesis. Susanne von Caemmerer is known for creating important models that help us understand how plants make their own food.

Education and Learning

Susanne von Caemmerer studied mathematics at the Australian National University. She earned her first degree in 1976. Later, in 1981, she completed her PhD in plant physiology. This means she became an expert in how plants work.

Discoveries and Research

Susanne von Caemmerer has done very important work in understanding photosynthesis. This is the amazing process where plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create their own food and grow.

Understanding Photosynthesis

Early in her career, Susanne von Caemmerer worked with other scientists, Graham Farquhar and Joe Berry. Together, they developed a special mathematical model. This model helps explain how plants perform C3 photosynthesis. It describes how much light a plant needs and how much carbon dioxide it can take in.

This model is now a key tool for scientists. It helps them study photosynthesis in plant leaves. It also helps them understand how carbon moves through nature on a bigger scale.

Awards and Recognition

Susanne von Caemmerer has received many honors for her work.

  • In 2014, she won the Charles F. Kettering Award. This award recognized her excellent contributions to the field of photosynthesis.
  • She was chosen as a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2006.
  • She also became a fellow of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2006.
  • In 2017, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
  • In 2021, she and John Endler were given the first-ever Suzanne Cory Medal for Biomedical Sciences.
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