Homepage

Record

Authorised form of nameMacRobbie; Enid Anne Campbell; plant biophysicist
NationalityBritish
Place of birthEdinburgh, Scotland
Date of birth05 December 1931
Place of deathDerbyshire, England
Date of death22 September 2024
OccupationPlant biophysicist
Research fieldBiophysics
Plant biophysics
ActivityEducation:
University of Edinburgh BSc (1953); PhD (1957)
Career:
Postdoctoral position, Institute of Biological Isotope Research, Copenhagen (1957); Research Fellowship at Girton College, University of Cambridge, working with Professor George Briggs in the Botany School (now Department of Plant Sciences) (1958); Fellow of Girton College (1958-1999) ; modernised Cambridge’s botanical courses to include more cell biology, biochemistry, and quantitative analysis (1960-1970); Personal Professorship (1987); Life Fellow of Girton College (1999-2024); Professor Emeritus of and sometime Reader in Plant Biophysics, formerly a University Lecturer in Botany.
Memberships:
Royal Society of Edinburgh 1998
Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences 1999
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election14/03/1991
Age at election59
RSActivityRoyal Society roles:
Council: 1994-1996
Sectional Committee 9: Patterns in populations 1998-2001
OtherInfoStudied ion transport within plants. Her particular interest lay in stomata - the pores through which oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour are exchanged between the plant and the surrounding environment. Enid's research has helped to explain how stomata close - to regulate gas intake and conserve water - through the loss of potassium ions from the guard cells that surround them.
Known for her early work with giant algae, determining the ionic compositions of both their cytoplasm and vacuoles, along with the fluxes of major ions across the plasma membrane and the membrane that surrounds the vacuole. This work provided the first application of isotope efflux analysis in plants.
The first woman scientist in Cambridge to be awarded a Personal Chair.
Encouraged women to enter scientific careers.
SourceThe Royal Society Fellows Directory, Professor Enid MacRobbie FRS, [URL: https://royalsociety.org/people/enid-macrobbie-11862/; last accessed: 19/02/2025]
Girton College, University of Cambridge, International Women and Girls in Science Day, A pioneer in plant biology, 11 February 2025, [URL: https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/news/macrobbie-pioneer-plant-biology; last accessed: 19/02/2025]
CodeNA3480
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
EC/1991/22MacRobbie, Enid Anne Campbell: certificate of election to the Royal Society1988
IM/002913MacRobbie, Enid Anne Campbell1991
Add to My Items
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius

    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius

    Useful Links

    Collection highlights

    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

    Papers of Howard Florey
    Papers of Howard Florey
    Classified Papers
    Classified Papers
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    New Letter Books
    New Letter Books
    Browse Collections

    The Royal Society

    The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of
    the world's most eminent scientists and is the
    oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
    Registered charity number 207043

    Website design ©CalmView



    CONTACT US

    + 44 207 451 2500
    (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Excludes bank holidays)

    6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

    Email Us →

    SUBSCRIBE

    Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the
    latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

    Subscribe →

    © CalmView