Kathleen Drew-Baker
Kathleen Drew-Baker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kathleen Mary Drew 6 November 1901 Leigh, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 14 September 1957 (aged 55) Manchester, England |
| Other names | Mother of the Sea |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester (BS, 1922), (MSc, 1923), (DSc, 1939) |
| Known for | Study of Porphyra umbilicalis |
| Spouse |
Henry Wright-Baker (m. 1928) |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Phycology |
| Institutions | |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | K.M.Drew |
Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker (née Drew; 6 November 1901 – 14 September 1957) was an English phycologist. She was known for her research on the edible seaweed Porphyra umbilicalis, which led to a breakthrough for the commercial cultivation of nori.
Kathleen Drew-Baker's scientific legacy is revered in Japan, where she has been nicknamed Mother of the Sea. Her work is celebrated each year on 14 April. A monument to her was erected in 1963 at Sumiyoshi Shrine in Uto, Kumamoto, Japan.