Allen Kerr

Who is Allen Kerr?

Dr. Allen Kerr AO, FRS, FAA was a Scottish-born Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Adelaide. His most significant work was his study of crown gall - a plant cancer induced by Agrobacterium tumerfaciens.

He was born in 21 May 1926 in Edinburgh and gained a BSc degree at Edinburgh University.

From 1947-1951 he was Assistant Mycologist at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture.

From 1951-1980 he was Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, then Reader in Plant Pathology at the University of Adelaide.

From 1978-1983 he was Vice-President of the International Society for Plant Pathology.

From 1980-1983 he was President of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society.

In 1978 he was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

In 1986 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.

In 1990 he received the inaugural Australia Prize for his work with plant genetics and biology.

In 1990 he became Head of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Adelaide, and in 1991 he became Head of the Department of Crop Protection at the University of Adelaide.

He retired in 1991, but since then has received many awards.