Marion Robinson Explained

Marion Robinson
Birth Name:Marion Frances Harrison
Birth Date:9 November 1923
Death Place:Dunedin, New Zealand
Fields:Nutrition, trace elements, physiology
Alma Mater:University of Cambridge
Workplaces:University of Cambridge
University of Otago
Awards:Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (1978)

Marion Frances Robinson (née Harrison; 9 November 1923 – 25 February 2003) was a New Zealand nutritionist and physiologist. She was professor of nutrition at the University of Otago, and is particularly noted for her investigation of the importance of selenium in the human diet.

Early life and family

Robinson was born on 9 November 1923,[1] the daughter of Wilfred, a carpenter, and Gladys Harrison.[2] She was educated at Wellington Girls' College and "did well despite a hostile headmistress".[3]

Academic career

Robinson completed a Bachelor of Home Science degree at the University of Otago in May 1945, and followed it immediately with a Master of Home Science degree, graduating in December 1945.[4] [5] Robinson received the Anna P. Stout Scholarship for her Master's research.[6] At that time Home Science was the only way of studying biochemistry outside of a medical degree.[7] Robinson studied the fluorine in dental enamel for her Master's degree, having been introduced to the study of trace elements by Muriel Bell.

Robinson moved to the University of Cambridge to work with Professor Robert McCance. She completed a PhD and from 1949 to 1957 was assistant director of research in the Department of Experimental Medicine.[8]

While in Cambridge, Robinson published on the physiology of rat livers. Robinson married James Roper Robinson, a physiologist, in 1951 in Cambridge. Robinson returned to New Zealand with her family in 1957.[9]

Robinson's research focused on trace elements and human nutrition. She set up the first trace element laboratory for the School of Home Sciences at the University of Otago, and became internationally renowned for her work on selenium. In 1980, she became a full professor, with the award of a personal chair in nutrition.[10] [11] In 1985, she worked on the World Health Organisation task group on selenium. She served as the head of the Department of Human Nutrition at Otago between 1985 and 1988,[10] and was conferred with the title of professor emeritus when she retired in 1989.[11]

Death

Robinson died in Dunedin on 25 February 2003, and she is commemorated by a plaque in the Court of Reflections at Andersons Bay Cemetery.[1] [12] She was survived by her husband and twin daughters, who both held doctorates themselves. Her husband died in 2007.[13]

Honours and awards

Robinson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1978,[14] and a Fellow of New Zealand Institute of Chemistry in 1976.[15] In 1988 she was awarded the prestigious McCollum Award by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition. Following her retirement from Otago, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to nutrition education and research, in the 1990 New Year Honours. Also in 1990, she was awarded honorary life membership of the New Zealand Dietetic Association / Dietitians New Zealand.[11]

In 2017 Robinson was selected as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's 150 women in 150 words.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Death search: registration number 2003/4700 . Births, deaths & marriages online . Department of Internal Affairs . 12 January 2021 . 22 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180622060259/https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths . live .
  2. Web site: ATL: Unpublished Collections. 2020-12-30. tiaki.natlib.govt.nz. 8 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508030508/https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#details=ethesaurus.187720. live.
  3. 2003. Marion Robinson, CBE, MHSc NZ, PhD Cantab, FRSNZ, FNZIC. 2003 Academy Yearbook. Royal Society Te Apārangi.
  4. Web site: 9 May 1945. Graduates of the Year. 2020-12-30. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211018030056/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19450509.2.56?end_date=31-12-1950&items_per_page=10&query=marion+harrison+bachelor+of+home+science&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-01-1945&title=MDTIM%2CMEX%2CMPRESS%2CPGAMA%2CAHCOG%2CBH%2CCL%2CCROMARG%2CDUNST%2CESD%2CLCM%2CLCP%2CLWM%2CME%2CMIC%2CMTBM%2CNOT%2COAM%2COW%2COSWCC%2CSOCR%2CST%2CTT%2CWSTAR%2CODT. live.
  5. Web site: 13 December 1945. Degree Examinations. 2020-12-30. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211018030031/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19451213.2.134?end_date=31-12-1950&items_per_page=10&page=11&query=degree+results&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-01-1945&title=MDTIM%2CMEX%2CMPRESS%2CPGAMA%2CAHCOG%2CBH%2CCL%2CCROMARG%2CDUNST%2CESD%2CLCM%2CLCP%2CLWM%2CME%2CMIC%2CMTBM%2CNOT%2COAM%2COW%2COSWCC%2CSOCR%2CST%2CTT%2CWSTAR%2CODT. live.
  6. Web site: 9 May 1945. Scholarships: University of Otago. 2020-12-30. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211018030055/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19450509.2.56?end_date=09-05-1946&items_per_page=10&query=anna+p+stout+scholarship&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=09-05-1943&title=ODT. live.
  7. Web site: Marion Robinson. 2020-12-30. Royal Society Te Apārangi. 27 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127115543/https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/150th-anniversary/150-women-in-150-words/1918-1967/marion-robinson/. live.
  8. Web site: Clarke. Ali. 2014-08-31. Nourishing science. 2020-12-30. University of Otago 1869–2019. en. 13 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191013124808/https://otago150years.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/nourishing-science/. live.
  9. Web site: FreeBMD – Search. 2020-12-30. www.freebmd.org.uk. 18 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211018030059/https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl?start=1951&end=1951&sq=3&eq=3&type=Marriages&vol=4a&pgno=560&db=bmd_1608022694&jsexec=1&mono=0&v=MTYwOTMwMDU1NzpjZWIxYjU4N2Q5N2RkYzI4NjE2MTQ5MDViNTE0Y2MxODZlOGRkYTUx&searchdef=given%3DMarion&type=Marriages&eq=4&surname=Harrison&start=1950&s_given=James&db=bmd_1608022694&end=1952&sq=1&action=Find. live.
  10. June 2003. Obituary: Marion Robinson. University of Otago Magazine. 5. 36.
  11. Book: A history: the third quarter century 1993–2018 . New Zealand Dietetic Association . Julian . Jensen . Pip . Duncan . 2018 . Wellington . 59 . 978-0-473-44220-0 . 12 January 2021 . 14 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210114063635/https://dietitians.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DNZ-HISTORY-WEB.pdf . live .
  12. Web site: Cemeteries search . Dunedin City Council . 12 January 2021 . 14 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210114082358/https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/cemeteries/cemeteries-search?recordid=167084&type=Cremation . live .
  13. Web site: Cemeteries search . Dunedin City Council . 12 January 2021 . 13 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210113232331/https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/cemeteries/cemeteries-search?recordid=171872&type=Cremation . live .
  14. Web site: P-R. 2020-12-30. Royal Society Te Apārangi. 10 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201210053401/https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/who-we-are/our-people/our-fellows/all-fellows/p-r/. live.
  15. News: Staff Writer. 15–16 March 2003. Obituaries: World leader in trace element research. Otago Daily Times.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Marion Robinson".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.