The
Research School of Biological Sciences farewelled and acknowledged
the contribution of Sally Stowe, a 33-year member of the
School and the Head of the ANU Electron Microscopy Unit.
Attracted by the reputation of Adrian Horridge
and his newly established department, Sally came to RSBS
in 1975 after completing a Master of Science with Honours
at the University of Auckland, to undertake a PhD on the
structure and function of the visual system of a crab.
Following her PhD, Sally worked as a combination
post-doctorate and visitor for the next five years, mainly
in the Neurobiology laboratory of David Blest, establishing
the basic mechanism of photoreceptor membrane synthesis
in the crab, and developing an in vitro preparation so
that synthesis and degradation could be examined in a reproducible
way. She also investigated membrane turnover and the cytoskeleton
in the eyes of crabs, crayfish, and a number of insects,
including Drosophila, with some work in the RSBS
Electron Microscopy Unit.
She then worked as a technician in the RSBS
EM Unit from 1985 to 1986 before returning to Developmental
Neurobiology for the next two years as a Research Fellow
working on membrane turnover. In 1990 she became the head
of the newly established ANU EMU.
Sally earned the respect of colleagues and
students by developing an EM unit that was responsive,
proactive, and competitive in terms of the equipment and
techniques available to users. She was thoroughly versed
in the Unit’s
equipment and could trouble-shoot light microscopes, electron
microscopes and computers. She introduced a successful
series of short courses on various aspects of imaging.
She worked beyond the call of duty, into most evenings
and many weekends, and was very obliging to those needing
service. She kept the unit open nights and weekends; she
let those without grants work free of charge and did her
best to keep charges down, while remaining within budget.
Despite years of declining funding, the EMU became increasingly
productive under Sally’s management.
Sally was always
on the lookout for new opportunities and funding sources
for the EMU, and despite a broad client base with diverse
interests was able to secure major equipment funding
to cover most requirements. Over the years she introduced
and supported as far as possible the infrastructure needed
for high resolution scanning electron microscopy, improved
elemental analysis and cathodoluminescence, a wide range
of cryopreparation techniques, focused ion beam and improved
light microscopy to add to the original complement of
basic transmission and scanning electron microscopes.
The
School thanks Sally for her enormous contribution over
the years and wishes her success in her research career
with the RSBS Central Nervous System Stability and Degeneration
group.
Posted 11/02/08 Article
and photographs: Sharyn Wragg |
