We are delighted to congratulate Professor Jane Langdale who has been admitted to the Australian Academy of Science as a Corresponding Member for her outstanding contributions to science. Corresponding Members of the Academy are eminent scientists not resident in Australia, who are elected based on scientific excellence, with consideration given to their connection to Australian science.
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Interview first published on The Academy website here.
Professor Jane Langdale’s research has transformed our understanding of how plants initiate leaves, how leaves adapted to major evolutionary transitions and how those changes affect photosynthesis in land plants.
She has explained various plant mechanisms, including organ inception and specification at the tip of shoots, patterning of distinct cell-types and the development of chloroplasts.
Importantly, Professor Langdale has carried out research in a comparative framework, advancing our understanding of leaf development not just in model flowering plant species but in species from all of the major land plant lineages.
What are you most proud of in your research?
“The people I have worked with over the years. Any recognition of my research is recognition of the wonderful people who have contributed to the discoveries that we have made—from the technicians who wash the lab glassware to the postdocs who challenge my ideas and prove me wrong.”
What does your election to the Academy mean to you?
“I have family, friends and many colleagues in Australia, and to be recognised by the national Academy is an incredible honour. I hope that I am able to contribute to the Academy’s mission in a meaningful way.
"Science should never be a single nation endeavour. Interactions and collaboration between people from different cultures, with a broad range of views and experiences, are essential for the synergy that fuels truly original and creative scientific advances.”
