Joy Thompson (botanist)


Joy Thompson was an Australian botanist. Her main research areas were taxonomy and Myrtaceae.

Life & Career

Thompson's university studies occurred during the second world war and in university vacations she worked in the Land Army near Maitland. She graduated in 1946 with a B.Sc. from the University of Sydney, and went to work at the New South Wales Herbarium. She was Honorary Secretary of the Systematic Botany Committee of ANZAAS from 1952 to 1954.
In 1956 she married Max Thompson and, as a public servant, resigned from her position as was required at the time. Ten years later, after the birth of her two children, she returned to work at the Herbarium, in a part-time position. On her retirement in 1982, she became an Honorary Research Associate, and until 2009, continued to work in this role, making the 2.5 hour train journey from Mittagong once a week.

Some publications

Eponymy