Anderson, Joan Mary (Jan) (1932 - 2015)

Summary

Jan Anderson was an international expert on photosynthesis research. Her roles included Adjunct Professor at the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University and Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO's Division of Plant Industry.

Details

After completing her studies in New Zealand, Jane Anderson undertook a PhD in organic chemistry at the University of California. From there she moved to Australia to work for Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) at their Canberra Division of Plant industry. By 1982 Anderson had become Chief Research Scientist their, a position she held until her retirement. Anderson was an Adjunct Professor at the Australian National University from 1995 to 2015. Throughout her research career, Jan Anderson travelled to and collaborated with many Universities around the world (UK, USA, Sweden). Her research interests include the molecular organisation of thyakoid membranes, the molecular mechanisms of light regulation in higher plants, and the structural/functional dynamics of photosystem II.

Chronology

1954

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of New Zealand

1956

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of New Zealand

1957 - 1959

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of California, USA

1960

Career position - Research Scientist at the Ruakura Agricultural Station at DSIR in Hamilton, New Zealand

1961 - 1981

Career position - Research Scientist at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Plant Industry, Canberra

1965 - 1966

Career position - Carnegie Research Fellow in Plant Biology at Stanford, USA

1966

Career position - C. F. Kettering Research Fellow at the Yellow Springs in Ohio, USA

1973 - 1974

Career position - Marie Cobot Fellow with the Biological Laboratories at Harvard University, USA

1973 - 1974

Career position - Ann Horton Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, UK

1982 -

Career position - Chief Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry in Canberra

1982

Career position - Visiting Professor in Molecular Plant Biology, University of California in Berkeley, USA

1983

Award - Lemberg Medal and Oration, Australian Biochemical Society

1984 - 1985

Career position - President, Australian Society of Biophysics

1986

Career position - Distinguished Professor, Swedish National Research Council, University of Lund, Sweden

1987

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1989

Award - Pacific Rim Fellowship, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.

1989

Career position - Visiting Professor in Molecular Plant Biology, University of California in Berkeley, USA

1992 - 1993

Career position - President, Australian Society of Plant Physiology

1995

Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Umea, Sweden

1996

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

1996 - 2015

Career position - Adjunct Professor at the Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University (ANU)

1998

Award - Honorary Doctorate, University of Umea in Sweden

2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society in biological science

2003

Award - Honorary Fellow, Newnham College, University of Cambridge

2007

Award - Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Society of Photosynthesis Research to acknowledge a lifetime of outstanding contributions to understanding photosynthesis

2007 - 2015

Award - Life Member, Australian Society of Plant Scientists

2011

Award - Certificate of Appreciation, Australian Society for Biochemical and Molecular Biology

Related entries

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

• Interview with Jan Anderson, plant biochemist and international expert in photosynthesis research, Chief Research Scientist, Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO (sound recording), interviewer: Ragbir Bhathal, 9 August 1996, TRC 3479; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

National Library of Australia Pictures Collection

• Jan Anderson, Portrait, 9 August 1996, PIC NL37974; National Library of Australia Pictures Collection. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Exhibition of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, First published 2003 with lists updated regulary edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 2003, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/wisa/wisa.html. Details

Books

• Bhathal, Ragbir, Profiles, Australian women scientists (Canberra: National Library of Australia, 1999), 191 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Obituaries', Australian Academy of Science Newsletter, 101 (2015), https://science.org.au/publications/newsletter-101/deceased-fellows. Details
• Chow, W. S.; Horton, P.; Barrett, M.; and Osmond, C. B., 'Remembering Joan (Jan) Mary Anderson (1932 - 2015)', Photosynthesis research, 129 (2016), 129-46. Details
• Horton, Peter; Chow, Wah Soon; and Barrett, Christopher, 'Joan Mary Anderson 12 May 1932 - 28 August 2015', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 65 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2018.0006. Details
• Horton, Peter; Chow, Wah Soon; and Barrett, Christopher, 'Joan Mary Anderson 1932 - 2015', Historical Records of Australian Science, 30 (1) (2019), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR18017. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6148471. Details
• 'Jan Anderson - Citation at year of election, 1987', Fellows of the Academy, Australian Academy of Science, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/jan-anderson. Details
• 'Anderson, Joan Mary (19320512-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1475618. Details