Monica Cole had a distinguished career in the field of Biogeography and Geobotany. She was a larger-than-life character whose research spanned Central and Southern Africa, Brazil, Venezuela, Australia, China and Finland.

Born in London in 1922, Monica graduated from Bedford College with a first degree in Geography. She gained a doctorate for research on the economic geography of building materials.

Her academic career began in University of Cape Town. She soon moved to the University of Witwatersrand where she developed her interest in savannas. Moving to the UK in 1951, she joined the University of Keele before returning to Bedford College in 1964. Leading the Department of Geography, she expanded research facilities and made the College a leading centre for biogeography in Britain.

Monica was a strong believer that geographical research should be undertaken in the field. Her research included:

• The effects of soils and climate on crop yields in South Africa.
• Vegetation anomalies of the Highveld and Lowveld, South Africa
• The origin and distribution of savanna vegetation of Brazil.
• Plants related to minerals in north western Australia.

On retirement in 1987, she was appointed Emeritus Professor at Royal Holloway. She was awarded the Murchison Medal of the RGS-IBG for contributions to the geography of South Africa.

The Monica Cole Research Grant is given annually to a female physical geographer undertaking original fieldwork overseas.