Grace, James (Jim) (fl. 1970s - 2000s)
CPBR NEWS Issue 56, October 2003
(Staff newsletter of the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra):
"JIM GRACE RETIRES
With CSIRO: 10th April 1967 till 29th October 2003.
When I first came to the Division my intention was to be here for a few years while my younger sisters and brothers were educated. I would then return to the family property and help my father. I found however, that I could do both by using my weekends and through such bonuses as recreation leave (which I did not know about in the bush) !
In 1967 a very close friend brought me over to Plant Industry for an "on the spot" interview with Paul Brown and I started a few days later in the Potting Shed with Bon Minius where I stayed for about three years. While in the Potting Shed I was fortunate enough to have some field trips with other sections requiring assistance, eg. helping Jack Peak with Phalaris work, Cedric Neal-Smith's group with field trials at Krawarree and Berry and Frank Hely with his work on Caucasian Clover.
Early 1971 I was lucky enough to be placed in the Plant Introduction Group where I worked with the late Paul Broue and then Don Marshall. Finally in the early 1980's I began work with Tony Brown who is still my supervisor today. In 1975 we began collecting Glycine with the view of assembling a collection to hopefully give us some useful traits to breed into Soybeans to improve the crop. While our research has lessened Tony still has collaborative work with researchers in the USA. The large collection of seed and specimens which the Division now holds, has taken collectors to many parts of Australia. However, there is still more species out there to be found.
Our attention was changed from Glycine to Gossypium, another crop genus with endemic wild species, and this lead to the arrival in the group of Curt Brubaker. This meant some different places to collect and we could put the experience gained in collecting Glycines into practice to assemble a diverse collection of wild cottons while collecting some more Glycines.
I have been very lucky to have worked with the above mentioned people as well as Jack Munday, Lyn Craven, Roy Pullen and Bob Heriot [deceased]. I have also been fortunate to have formed firm friendships with a large number of past and present staff who have worked in other areas of the Division and CSIRO.
I have enjoyed my work and have taken a keen interest in those aspects which could improve the agricultural industry. The opportunity to see many parts of Australia while collecting native species was very enjoyable and rewarding.
Jim Grace "
Source: Extracted from:
Grace, J. in CPBR NEWS Issue 56, October 2003
Portrait Photo: Seeking portrait.
Collecting localities for 'Grace, J.' from AVH (2024)
Data from 3,361 specimens
