Background
Thimann, Kenneth Vivian was born on August 5, 1904 in Ashford, England. Came to the United States, 1930, naturalized American citizen. Son of Israel Phoebus and Muriel Kate (Harding) Thimann.
Thimann, Kenneth Vivian was born on August 5, 1904 in Ashford, England. Came to the United States, 1930, naturalized American citizen. Son of Israel Phoebus and Muriel Kate (Harding) Thimann.
Student, Caterham School, England, 1921. Bachelor of Science, Imperial College Science and Technology London Royal College of Science, 1924. A.R.C.S., Imperial College Science and Technology London Royal College of Science, 1924.
Doctor of Philosophy, Imperial College Science and Technology London Royal College of Science, 1928. A.M. (honorary), Harvard University, 1938. Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), University Basel, Switzerland, 1960.
Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), University Clermont-Ferrand, France, 1961. Doctor of Science (honorary), Brown University, 1989.
Demonstrator bacteriology Kings College, London, 1927-1929. Instructor biochemistry and bacteriology California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 1930-1935. Lecturer botany Harvard University, 1935-1936, assistant professor plant physiology, 1936-1939, associate professor, 1939-1946, professor, 1946-1962, Higgins professor biology, 1962-1965, professor emeritus, 1965-1997.
Director Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 1946-1950, tutor in biology Eliot House, 1936-1952, associate, 1952-1965. Master East House, Radcliffe College, 1962-1965. Exchange professor University Paris, 1954-1955.
Professor biology University California, Santa Cruz, 1965-1984, professor emeritus, 1984-1997. Provost Crown College, 1965-1972. Visiting professor University Massachusetts, 1974, University Texas, 1976.
President XI International Botanical Congress, 1969. President 2d National Biological Congress, Miami, 1970, International Plant Growth Substance Association Triennial Meeting, Tokyo, 1973.
(Book by Thimann, Kenneth)
Author: (with F. W. Went) Phytohormones, 1937, L'Origine et les Fonctions des Auxines, 1956, The Life of Bacteria, second edition, 1963, The Natural Plant Hormones, 1972, Hormones in the Whole Life of Plants, 1977, (with J.H. Langenheim) Botany: Plants and Human Affairs, 1982. Author (with others) and editor Senescence in Plants, 1981. Editor (with R.S. Harris) Vitamins and Hormones (annual) Volume 1, 1943, to Volunteer 20, 1962, (with G. Pincus) The Hormones, 5 vols., 1948, 55, 63. Member editorial board Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 1949-1970, Canadian Journal Botany, 1966-1973, Plant Physiology, 1974-1985. Contbr.Over 300 articles to technical journals.
Board directors Foundation Microbiology, Biological Sciences Information Services. Served as civilian scientist, United States Navy, 1942-1945. Foreign member Royal Society (London), Society Nazionale dei Lincei (Rome), Akademy Leopoldina (Halle), Academy National de Roumanie (Bucharest), Academy des Science (Paris), Academy d' Agriculture de France, Botanical Society Netherlands, Botanical Society Japan, Indian Society Plant Physiology.
Member American Society Biological Chemists, American Philosophical Society (council 1973-1976), American Academy Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (chairman botany section 1962-1965, member council 1967-1971, executive committee assembly life science 1972-1976), Botanical Society of America (president 1960), American Association for the Advancement of Science (director 1968-1972), American Society Plant Physiologists (president 1950-1951), Society General Physiologists (president 1949-1950), Bio-chemical Society, American Society Naturalists (president 1954-1955), American Institute Biological Sciences (president 1965), Society Study Development and Growth (president 1955-1956).
Music, garden.
Married Ann Mary Bateman, March 20, 1929. Children– Vivianne Thimann Nachmias, Karen Thimann Romer, Linda Thimann Dewing.