| AdminHistory | Edward Cocking studied biological chemistry at the University of Bristol, receiving his BSc in 1953, followed by a PhD and a DSc in plant cell biology and nitrogen metabolism. He joined the University of Nottingham in 1959, initially as a Lecturer, eventually becoming Head of Department and Professor of Botany. He remained at Nottingham for his entire career, including as an Emeritus professor, and was still actively involved in research until shortly before his death though his Azotic Technologies company, which was spun out from his research into crop symbiotic nitrogen-fixation technology.
He also served on the Royal Society's council between 1986 and 1988. Other appointments included his role as a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Member of the Agricultural Research Council, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rothamsted Research, and Member of the Lawes Agricultural Trust. As well as the Royal Society, he was elected Fellow of the Institute of Biology, Academia Europaea, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and the Indian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. |