COOKSON, ISABEL CLIFTON (1893-1973), botanist and palaeobotanist, was born on
Christmas Day 1893 at Hawthorn, Melbourne, third and youngest daughter of
English-born John Cookson, gentleman, and only child by his second wife Elizabeth,
née Somers, from Adelaide. Educated at Methodist Ladies' College, Kew, Isabel
gained honours in anatomy, physiology and botany in the senior public examination.
She also developed skills as a pianist, was a prefect and played in the school's
first tennis team. At the University of Melbourne (B.Sc., 1916; D.Sc., 1932) she
graduated with exhibitions in zoology and botany. Tennis remained an interest and
she competed in intervarsity matches.
View the full record at
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
Isabel Clifton Cookson was born in Melbourne in December 1893 and educated at Hambledon Ladies' College and later at the Methodist Ladies' College before entering the University of Melbourne where she graduated B.Sc. in 1916. She tutored at Newman and was appointed as Lecturer in Botany "including evening") for 1930 and remained associated with the Department until her death on 1 July 1973, when she was still a Research Associate. She visited Europe for the first time in 1925, and in 1929 studied at the University of Manchester under Professor Lang, a specialist in fossil plants. In 1948 she received a Leverhulme Research Grant and in 1952 attended the 40th session of the Indian Science Congress.
View the full record at
Australian Women's Register
Isabel Cookson was Research Fellow in Botany, University of Melbourne 1952-1959. She was world renowned for her research which included fossil plant studies. Cookson created many international collaborations and associations which lead to significant discoveries. Isabel Cookson published over 80 papers and produced many botanical illustrations. The Cooksonia plant genus and the Isabel Cookson Award (Botanical Society of America) have been named in her honour.
After completing her studies at Hambledon and Methodist Ladies Colleges, Isabel Clifton Cookson went to Melbourne University. In 1916 she graduated with a BSc majoring in botany and zoology. Cookson went on to tutor, then lecture in botany at the University. She was appointed Research Fellow in 1952 and held this position up until her death in 1973. In 1926 Isabel Cookson made the first of many study/ research trips to the University of Manchester. It was during one of these visits that she developed a keen interest in fossil plants. Cookson and Manchester University's Prof. W. H. Lang developed a long term and very productive partnership. Their collaboration resulted in many key publications. Prof. W. H. Lang even named a plant genus (Cooksonia) in her honour.
Isabel Cookson later returned to Australia where she pioneered palynology studies in Australia. Her work on fossil-plant remains lead to her appointment as head of the University's Pollen Research Unit (1949) and to obtain a Doctorate of Science. Her 58 years of research produced great insight into the history and evolution of Australia's flora and 85 publications - 30 of which were written after she had officially retired. Her reputation as an outstanding botanist was world wide. The Botanical Society of America commemorate her achievements by awarding the Isabel Cookson Award to the best paper on palaeobotany presented at their annual meeting.
-
1916
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Melbourne
-
1916 - 1917
Career position - Government research scholarship received to study the flora of the Northern Territory
-
1916 - 1926
Career position - Botany Tutor at Newman College, University of Melbourne
-
1916 - 1929
Career position - Demonstrator in Botany at the University of Melbourne
-
1917 - 1958
Career position - Member of the Royal Society of Victoria
-
1925 - 1926
Career position - Research and studies at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London
-
1926 - 1927
Career position - Research work at the University of Manchester, UK
-
1928
Career position - Demonstrator (part-time) in Zoology at the University of Melbourne
-
1929 - 1930
Career position - Research work at the University of Manchester
-
1930 - 1951
Career position - Lecturer in Botany at the University of Melbourne
-
1932
Education - Doctor of Science (DSc) received from the University of Melbourne
-
1942
Career position - Head of the Pollen Research Unit at the University of Melbourne
-
1947
Career position - Keynote speaker at the opening of the Birbal Sahni Institue of Paelaeobotany in Lucknow, India
-
1948 - 1949
Career position - Leverhulme Researcher at the University of Manschester
-
1952
Career position - Research Fellow in the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne
-
1952 - 1963
Career position - Senior Lecturer in Botany at the University of Melbourne
-
1957
Award - Corresponding member of the Botanical Society of America
-
1959 -
Award - Life member of the Royal Society of Victoria
-
1959
Career position - Retirement (official)
-
1959 - 1962
Career position - Honorary Associate at the National Museum of Victoria
View the full record at
Encyclopedia of Australian Science