Douglas Houghton Campbell
Encyclopedia
Douglas Houghton Campbell (December 19, 1859 – February 24, 1953) was an American
botanist.
Campbell was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan
. He graduated from Detroit High School in 1878, going on to study at the University of Michigan
. He studied botany, learning new microscopy
techniques, and becoming interested in cryptogramic (deciduous) fern
s. He received his Masters degree in 1882, and taught botany at Detroit High School while he completed his PhD
research. He completed his studies in 1886 and using his saving travelled to Germany
to learn more microscopy techniques,he developed a technique to embed plant material in paraffin
to make fine cross-sections.
When Campbell returned to the United States he took up a Professorship at Indiana University
1888 to 1891, writing the textbook Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany. In 1891 he became the head of the Botany department at Stanford University
. During his time at Stanford he studies moss
es and liverwort
s, producing The Structure and Development of Mosses and Ferns in 1895. His third book Lectures on the Evolution of Plants published in 1899, which became widely used as a botany. He also travelled extensively though the Pacific collecting samples, writing Outline of Plant Geography, published in 1926, about his travels.
Campbell was a member of a number of scientific institutions, he was president of the Botanical Society of America
in 1913, elected to the National Academy of Sciences
, a member of the Linnaean Society of London
, the Royal Society of Edinburgh
, the Deutsche Botanische Gesellschaft, the International Association of Botanists, and the American Philosophical Society
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
botanist.
Campbell was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He graduated from Detroit High School in 1878, going on to study at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He studied botany, learning new microscopy
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
techniques, and becoming interested in cryptogramic (deciduous) fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. He received his Masters degree in 1882, and taught botany at Detroit High School while he completed his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
research. He completed his studies in 1886 and using his saving travelled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to learn more microscopy techniques,he developed a technique to embed plant material in paraffin
Paraffin
In chemistry, paraffin is a term that can be used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to a mixture of alkanes that falls within the 20 ≤ n ≤ 40 range; they are found in the solid state at room temperature and begin to enter the...
to make fine cross-sections.
When Campbell returned to the United States he took up a Professorship at Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
1888 to 1891, writing the textbook Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany. In 1891 he became the head of the Botany department at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. During his time at Stanford he studies moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and liverwort
Marchantiophyta
The Marchantiophyta are a division of bryophyte plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like other bryophytes, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic information....
s, producing The Structure and Development of Mosses and Ferns in 1895. His third book Lectures on the Evolution of Plants published in 1899, which became widely used as a botany. He also travelled extensively though the Pacific collecting samples, writing Outline of Plant Geography, published in 1926, about his travels.
Campbell was a member of a number of scientific institutions, he was president of the Botanical Society of America
Botanical Society of America
The Botanical Society of America represents professional and amateur botanists, researchers, educators and students in over 80 countries of the world...
in 1913, elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, a member of the Linnaean Society of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
, the Deutsche Botanische Gesellschaft, the International Association of Botanists, and the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
.