Pidgeon, Ilma Mary   (1915 - 2006)

(Brewer, Ilma Mary)

Born in February 1915 in Sydney NSW; died on 31 December 2006 in Sydney, NSW.

She was educated at North Sydney Girls High School.

She attended University of Sydney, graduating as Bachelor of Science withe first class honours in 1936, Master of Science in 1937 and Doctor of Science in 1942.

As Linnean Macleay Fellow in Ecology within the University of Sydney Botany Department from 1937 to 1941, she investigated the ecology of plant communities on the central coastlands of New South Wales NSW.

Her applied research included a statistical analysis of the regeneration of vegetation following grazing at Broken Hill in western NSW.

During World War II (1941), she worked with Army Intelligence mapping vegetation with the aim of determining the degree of cover available for military use along the NSW coastlands.

in 1942-43, she collaborated with others in the Botany Department and the CSIRO on research into fruit preservation.

In 1943, Ilma Pidgeon married Richard Brewer, a United States (USA) Army officer; they moved to USA in 1944. From that time on she used the name Ilma Mary Brewer.

In 1946-47, Ilma Brewer was director of research for a chemical factory in New Jersey.

After the Brewer's return to Australia in 1948, she devoted much of her time to family commitments, notably rearing their two sons.

She joined the staff of the University of Sydney Botany Department as demonstrator in 1957, temporary lecturer in 1959, lecturer in 1963 with promotion to senior lecturer in 1970.

In 1974, Brewer was appointed a staff associate in the Regional Teacher Training Centre for Health Personnel at the University of NSW.

After retirment in 1978, Brewer held the position of honorary research affiliate in the University of Sydney Department of Anatomy.

She developed new methods of teaching based on the recognition that a student learnt more by working at his/her own pace and instructing him/her self. Her findings were published as a book, 'Learning More and Teaching Less'.

Source: Extracted from:
https://archives-search.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/22479Given NameIlma MaryLast NameBrewerPre-Nominal HonorificDoctorDate of Birth1915Date of Death2006Biography
https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000256b.htm
The Ryerson Index - BREWER Ilma Mary
Portrait Photo: none found, seeking portrait.

Collecting localities for 'Pidgeon, I.' from AVH (2026)

Data from 190 specimens