Person

Garson, Mary J. (1953 - )

AM FRACI MRSC Cchem

Born
6 November 1953
Rugby, United Kingdom
Occupation
Chemist and University Administrator

Summary

Mary Garson is recognised internationally for her research on the chemistry, biosynthesis and bioactivity of secondary metabolites in both terrestrial and marine environments. Her research has focused on terpene metabolites in marine sponges, as well as the chemistry and chemical ecology of marine algae and fungi, nudibranchs, and southeast Asian medicinal plants. Much of her research after she moved to Australia centred on the Great Barrier Reef. Garson retired in 2020 as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Queensland. During her time with the University, Garson participated in 25 research expeditions to the Reef's Heron Island Research Station. Throughout her career Garson has been a mentor for junior female chemists, for which she was awarded the inaugural Margaret Sheil Medal by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). She has taken leading roles in the RACI and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The flatworm species Maritigrella marygarsonae, first collected by Garson on Heron Island, was named in her honour.

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Details

Chronology

1974
Education - BA(Hons), University of Cambridge
1977
Education - PhD (Thesis The Biosynthesis of Polyketides), University Cambridge
1977 - 1978
Career position - Overseas Research Fellow of the Royal Society in Rome, Italy
1978
Education - MA (Honours), University of Cambridge
1978 - 1981
Career position - Research Fellow at New Hall, Cambridge
1981 - 1983
Career position - Medicinal Chemist, Smith Kline and French Research. Ltd., Welwyn, United Kingdom
1983 - 1985
Career position - Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow, James Cook University of North Queensland
1990
Career position - Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, University of Wollongong
1990 - 1991
Career position - Lecturer, University of Queensland
1991
Career position - Committee Member, Queensland Branch, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1992
Award - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI)
1992 - 1997
Career position - Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland
1994 - 1995
Career position - Honorary Secretary, Queensland Branch, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1995 - 2004
Career position - Member, National Committee for Chemistry, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1996 - 1997
Career position - Member, National Council, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1996 - 1997
Career position - President, Queensland Branch, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1996 - 2001
Career position - Executive Secretary, World Chemistry Congress
1996 - 2004
Career position - Chair, International Relations Committee, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1998 - 2005
Career position - Reader, University of Queensland
1999
Career event - Member, Australian Delegation to UNESCO World Conference on Science, Budapest
1999 - 2001
Career position - Executive Secretary, World Chemistry Congress
2002 - 2004
Career event - Chair, Rio Tinto Australian Science Olympiads
2005
Career event - Inaugural Chair, Australian Science Innovations (previously Rio Tinto Australian Science Olympiads)
2005
Career position - Deputy Head, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, University of Queensland
2006 - 2009
Career position - Titular Member, Division III (Organic) International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2006 - 2021
Career position - Professor of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland
2008 - 2011
Career position - Secretary, Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2011
Career position - Coordinator, Women's Networking Event, International Year of Chemistry
2011
Award - Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2013
Award - Distinguished Women of Chemistry Award, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2014 - 2015
Career position - President, Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2017
Award - Margaret Sheil Leadership Award, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2018
Award - Australasian Lecturer, Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom
2018 - 2021
Career position - Bureau Member, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
2019
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to education, particularly to organic chemistry, and as an advocate for women in science
2021
Life event - Retired

Related Corporate Bodies

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

Book Sections

  • Garson, M. J., 'Ecological perspectives on marine natural product biosynthesis' in Marine chemical ecology, McClintock, James B. and Baker, Bill J., eds (Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 2001), pp. 71-114. Details
  • Garson, M. J., 'Biodiversity and bioprospecting' in Accessing biological resources : complying with the Convention on Biological Diversity, Stoianoff, Natalie P., ed. (New York: Kluwer Law International, 2004), pp. 17-31. Details

Journal Articles

  • '2017 RACI national award winners', Chemistry in Australia, 2018 (March) (2018), 30-5. Details
  • Blanchfield, Joanne T., Nonato, Maribel G. and Clark, Richard J., 'Special issue in honor of Professor Mary Garson AM', Journal of natural products, 86 (3) (2023), 473-4. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs,jnatprod.3c00088. Details
  • Garson, Mary J., 'The biosynthesis of marine natural products', Chemical reviews, 93 (5) (1993), 1699-1733. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Hooker, Claire, Irresistible Forces: Australian Women in Science (Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 2004), 215 pp. Details

Rebecca Rigby and Helen Cohn

Created: 18 January 2012, Last modified: 5 December 2023

EOAS ID: biogs/P004920b.htm

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