Gunnar Öquist
Encyclopedia
Gunnar Öquist, born 1941, is a Swedish biologist
and professor
of plant physiology
at Umeå University
, and served as the permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
from 2003 to 2010.
He graduated from Uppsala University
in 1967 and enrolled in postgraduate studies in Umeå in 1968. He earned his Ph.D.
at Umeå University in 1972 with the Thesis Some effects of light intensity and iron deficiency on pigmentation and photosynthesis in the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. Han was made docent
in plant physiology 1974. After two years at Lund University
he returned to Umeå in 1976 and was made a professor in 1981.
Öquist's field of research has been the adaptation of photosynthesis
in cyanobacteria, algae
and higher plants when they are submitted to variations in light intensity, temperature, supply of water or supply of nutrition.
Öquist served as the main secretary of the Natural Sciences Research Council (NFR), a former Swedish governmental body for science funding, from 1993 to 1999.
Öquist has been a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences since 1986, and became the Academy's permanent secretary on July 1, 2003, when he succeeded Erling Norrby. On July 1, 2010, Öquist retired from the post and was succeeded by Staffan Normark
.
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of plant physiology
Plant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
at Umeå University
Umeå University
Umeå University is a university in Umeå in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders....
, and served as the permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
from 2003 to 2010.
He graduated from Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
in 1967 and enrolled in postgraduate studies in Umeå in 1968. He earned his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at Umeå University in 1972 with the Thesis Some effects of light intensity and iron deficiency on pigmentation and photosynthesis in the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. Han was made docent
Docent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
in plant physiology 1974. After two years at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
he returned to Umeå in 1976 and was made a professor in 1981.
Öquist's field of research has been the adaptation of photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
in cyanobacteria, algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
and higher plants when they are submitted to variations in light intensity, temperature, supply of water or supply of nutrition.
Öquist served as the main secretary of the Natural Sciences Research Council (NFR), a former Swedish governmental body for science funding, from 1993 to 1999.
Öquist has been a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences since 1986, and became the Academy's permanent secretary on July 1, 2003, when he succeeded Erling Norrby. On July 1, 2010, Öquist retired from the post and was succeeded by Staffan Normark
Staffan Normark
Jan Staffan Normark, born 1945, is a Swedish physician, microbiologist and infectious disease researcher. He grew up in Umeå and was awarded his Ph.D. at Umeå University in 1971. At the end of the 1970s, he was one of the first Swedish scientists to utilise the new genetic engineering tools in...
.