P000374 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. updated 2026-02-26 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000374b.htm person Ducker Sophie Charlotte AM AACR2 Klemperer Edle von Klemenau, Sophie Charlotte 9 April 1909 20 May 2004 Place of Birth Dresden, Germany Place of Death Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Botanist Science historian Sophie Ducker was a renowned botanist and Australian botanical historian. Born in Germany, Ducker fled many war zones to eventually settle in Australia around 1941. She joined the University of Melbourne's Botany Department as a Technical Assistant in 1944, retiring as a senior lecturer in Botany in 1974. She was particularly interested in phycology - the study of seaweed, and studying the many 18th and 19th century explorers, botanists and artists who first described Australia. Ducker has an annual postgraduate scholarship endowed in her name.

Ducker began her botanical studies at the Universities of Geneva and Stuttgart, but stopped in 1931 when she married Dr Johann Friedrich Ducker, executive officer of Germany's Chamber of Commerce. Soon afterwards she had her only child, a son. Due to the out-beak of war, Ducker and her family were forced to leave Germany and in 1938 they settled in Tehran, Persia (now Iran). She became trapped in Rhodesia for a year in 1939 as a result of World War II and with much grit and determination, eventually made her way back to Tehran to meet up with her family. Then in 1941, war once again forced the Duckers to flee their home and they ended up in Australia.

Now aged 35, Ducker was still determined to work in the field of botany. In 1944 she worked as a research assistant for Dr Ethel McLennan at The University of Melbourne's botany school, studying the relatively new field of the anti-biotic properties of fungi and soil microorganisms. Ducker also completed (part-time) her BSc and Masters degrees during this time. She went on to specialize in marine botany, especially algae, and initiated the 1969 and 1973 studies of Port Phillip Bay. Ducker also became a competent lecturer, supervisor and historian. After her 'official' retirement in 1974, Sophie Ducker continued her research which expanded to include the study of flowering marine plants, and researching the histories of the earliest recorders of Australia's flora, especially the seaweeds. Sophie Ducker donated around 1200 books on botany, including one written by St Augustine in 1466, to the University of Melbourne's Baillieu Library.

1920s 1920s Education - Completed junior schooling at Cheltenham Ladies College, England 1931 Life event - Married Dr Johann Friedrich Ducker, Hamburg 1938 1938 Tehran Life event - Moved to Persia (Iran) with her husband and son 1945 1957 Career position - Research Assistant, University of Melbourne 1952 1952 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne 1957 1961 Career position - Lecturer in Botany, University of Melbourne 1961 1972 Career position - Senior Lecturer in botany, University of Melbourne 1973 1973 Career position - Reader in botany, University of Melbourne 1974 Career position - Senior Research Associate, University of Melbourne 1978 1978 Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne 1986 2004 Career position - Member of the Melbourne University Committee of Convocation 1988 1988 Publication - "The Contented Botanist", published 1993 1993 Award - Doctor of Laws (LLD), honoris causa, University of Melbourne 1996 1996 Award - Mueller Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science Mueller Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (1904 - 2006)

Awarded the Medal 1996

 School of Botany, The University of Melbourne (1880s - )

Senior Lecturer (later Reader) in botany 1961 - 1973; Senior Research Associate 1974 -

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Ducker, S C (1909-)

Trove

 'Ducker, Sophie Charlotte', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Ducker, Sophie Charlotte Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Sophie Ducker's Contribution to the History of Botany Maroske, Sara Sophie Ducker's Contribution to the History of Botany 2004 Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter 120 20-25 Resource: Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne 2023 Edited Book: Cambridge - Castlemaine: a Tribute to John Stewart Turner on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday Clifford, Harold T. Cambridge - Castlemaine: a Tribute to John Stewart Turner on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday St Lucia Botany Department, University of Queensland 1988 Journal Article: Sophie Charlotte Ducker: a Mycological Appreciation May, Tom W. Sophie Charlotte Ducker: a Mycological Appreciation 2004 Australasian Mycologist 23 108-9 Book Section: Into the Land of the Mountain Cattlemen: Maisie Fawcett's Ecological Investigations on the Bogong High Plains Gillbank, Linden Into the Land of the Mountain Cattlemen: Maisie Fawcett's Ecological Investigations on the Bogong High Plains Melbourne Text Publishing Company 1993 On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science Farley Kelly 133-154 Review: Historical Records of Australian Science Ducker, Sophie C. 2001 Historical Records of Australian Science 13 4 532 Book Section: Harvey, William Henry (1811-1866), botanist Ducker, Sophie C. Harvey, William Henry (1811-1866), botanist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1972 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 4: 1851 - 1890 D-J Douglas Pike 357-358 Journal Article: An Austrian Gentleman Gardener in the Swan River Colony Ducker, Sophie C. An Austrian Gentleman Gardener in the Swan River Colony 1984 Australian Garden Journal 3 94-96 Journal Article: W. H. Harvey in New South Wales: Letters by the Phycologist W. H. Harvey, Written in New South Wales in 1855 Ducker, Sophie C. W. H. Harvey in New South Wales: Letters by the Phycologist W. H. Harvey, Written in New South Wales in 1855 1995 Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 115 213-223 Book Section: Lucas, Arthur Henry Shakespeare (1853-1936), school master and biologist Ducker, Sophic C. Lucas, Arthur Henry Shakespeare (1853-1936), school master and biologist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1986 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 163-164 Conference Paper: Early Austrian Influence on Australian Botany Ducker, Sophie C. Early Austrian Influence on Australian Botany Melbourne Australian Systematic Botany Society 1990 History of Systematic Botany in Australasia: Proceedings of a Symposium Held at the University of Melbourne, 25-27 May 1988 Short, P.S. 297-304 Journal Article: John Stewart Turner 1908-1991 Ashton, D. H.; Ducker, S. C. John Stewart Turner 1908-1991 1993 Historical Records of Australian Science 9 3 278-290 Book Section: History of Australian phycology: early German collectors and botanists Ducker, Sophie C. History of Australian phycology: early German collectors and botanists London Society for the Bibliography of Natural History 1981 History in the service of systematics: papers from the conference to celebrate the centenary of the British Museum (Natural History) 13-16 April 1981 Wheeler, Alwynne and Price, James H 43-51 Book Section: Australian phycology: the German influence Ducker, Sophie C. Australian phycology: the German influence Sydney Academic Press 1981 People and plants in Australia Carr, D. J. and Carr, S. G. M. 116-38 Journal Article: An early overland expedition to Wilsons Promontory Ducker, Sophie C. An early overland expedition to Wilsons Promontory 1998 The Victorian naturalist 115 292-5 Thesis: Studies in Marine Botany: Collected Papers Ducker, Sophie Studies in Marine Botany: Collected Papers University of Melbourne 1978 Book Section: History of Australian marine phycology Ducker, Sophie C. History of Australian marine phycology Melbourne Longman, Cheshire 1990 Biology of marine plants Clayton, M. N. and King, R. J. 415-30 Review: Historical Records of Australian Science Ducker, Sophie C. 2001 Historical Records of Australian Science 13 3 363-364 Book Section: Ethel McLennan (1891-1983) botanist Ducker, Sophie C. Ethel McLennan (1891-1983) botanist Sydney Women's Redress Press Inc 1988 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology Heather Radi Journal Article: James Fleming: the First Gardener on the River Yarra, Victoria Ducker, Sophie C. James Fleming: the First Gardener on the River Yarra, Victoria 1986 Archives of Natural History 13 123-140 Review: Historical Records of Australian Science Ducker, Sophie C. 2001 Historical Records of Australian Science 13 3 359-361 Review: Historical Records of Australian Science Ducker, Sophie C. 2001 Historical Records of Australian Science 13 3 359-361 Book Section: Wood, Edward James Ferguson (1904-1972), marine microbiologist Ducker, Sophie C.; and Jenkin, John Wood, Edward James Ferguson (1904-1972), marine microbiologist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2002 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 16: 1940 - 1980 Pik-Z John Ritchie and Diane Langmore 577 Journal Article: Port Phillip Heads: a phycological saga Ducker, Sophie C. Port Phillip Heads: a phycological saga 1983 Phycologia 22 431-443 Book Section: McLennan, Ethel Irene (1891-1983), botanist and educator Ducker, Sophie C. McLennan, Ethel Irene (1891-1983), botanist and educator Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2012 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 18: 1981 - 1990 L-Z Melanie Nolan 94-5 Journal Article: History of Australian Phycology: the significance of early French exploration Ducker, Sophie C. History of Australian Phycology: the significance of early French exploration 1980 Brunonia 2 1 19-42 Book: Sea and River-side Rambles in Victoria Hannaford, Samuel; with an introduction by Sophie C. Ducker Sea and River-side Rambles in Victoria Facs. Warrnambool Warrnambool Institute Press 1981 Book Section: Ronald Campbell Gunn's visit to Port Phillip in 1836 Ducker, Sophie C. Ronald Campbell Gunn's visit to Port Phillip in 1836 Hobart Royal Society of Tasmania 1991 Aspects of Tasmanian botany : a tribute to Winifred Curtis Banks, M. R. 201-12 Journal Article: The publications of Sophie Ducker Maroske, Sara; and May, Tom The publications of Sophie Ducker 2004 Australian Systematic Botany Society newsletter 120 22-5 Conference Paper: Cross-National Careers: the Interchange of Women Scientists to and From Australia Allen, Nessy Cross-National Careers: the Interchange of Women Scientists to and From Australia Perth Black Swan Press 1992 Australia in the world: perceptions and possibilities: papers from the Outside Images of Australia Conference, Perth, 1992 Don Grant and Graham Seal Journal Article: A tribute to Dr Sophie C. Ducker Rowan, K. S. A tribute to Dr Sophie C. Ducker 1984 Phycologia 23 1 1-2 Journal Article: Dr Sophie C. Ducker Anon Dr Sophie C. Ducker 1990 Botanica Marina 33 1 102 Sophie Charlotte Ducker - Records The University of Melbourne Archives Sophie Charlotte Ducker - Records 1960 - 1988 Lecture notes; manuscripts of published papers 1962-71; photographs; material gathered for re-publication of Samuel Hannaford's "Sea and Riverside Rambles"; material gathered in the course of her research including records relating to the publishing of "The Contented Botanist; letters of W.H. Harvey" (Melbourne University Press, 1988); records of her travels including a trip to Madagascar; overall dates 1960-88.