Lowell Fitz Randolph

Lowell Fitz Randolph (7 October 1894 – 28 May 1980) was an American scientist, in the field of genetics, botany and horticulture. He was a Cornell University graduate who became Professor of Botany and was also employed as an associate cytologist for the United States Department of Agriculture. He was also an avid iris collector and wrote a book on the Iris genus. He carried out important research into plant chromosomes of iris, orchid genus and corn plants (such as maize). He was sometimes known as "Fitz" by his many friends and associates. Education and early life Lowell Fitz Randolph, was born on 7 October 1894 in Alfred, New York. Lowell's family had over 200 years of history of being deeply involved in the Seventh Day Baptist Church community, and that Lowell and his sister Vida were the first to break with that community and strong tradition and follow independent, secular paths pursuing their passion for science. Lowell was educated at local schools in Alfred and graduated from Alfred University in 1916. In 1918, he then went to Cornell University to complete his Ph.D. and work as an assistant in botany under Rollins A. Emerson and Prof. L. W. Sharp. His thesis was on the development of normal and abnormal chloroplasts in maize, which was completed under Prof. Sharp's direction in 1921. He then studied cytology with Lester in the Botany Department and minored in Plant Breeding with Emerson. In 1920, he attend the meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago, and presented a paper to the American Naturalist Division on 'A case of maternal inheritance in Maize: Cytological Relations'. He is a member of the Association and of the Botanical Society of America.