Notable Scientists: Crystallographers of Merit
This blog post was originally published on Double X Science; cross-posted with permission from the author, Adrienne Roehrich.
X-ray crystallography is a technique using x-rays for a beam of light shined onto a crystallized molecule to elucidate the structure of the molecule from the resulting pattern from the light’s diffraction. The women in this post used this technique to look at large molecules, many of which were biologically relevant.
Order of Merit medal of Dorothy Hodgkin, displayed in the Royal Society, London, 20 April 2004.
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was a Chemistry Nobel Laureate. (1910 – 1994) While her father was in Cairo, Egypt on an archaeological dig for the British government, Dorothy Crowfoot was born. Accompanying her parents on their work trips sparked her interest in archaeology, but she also developed a keen interest in chemistry and was encouraged in these interests by her parents. X-ray crystallography particularly interested her. She earned her chemistry B.A. with honors from Somerville College at Oxford University in 1931, then went onto a research fellowship there. She earned her D.Phil. from Cambridge University in 1936, followed by marrying Thomas Hodgkin in 1937. She had 3 children within the next 10 years.
Dr. Hodgkin did research using x-ray crystallography to study and clarify large biomolecules and pioneered the use of computers in crystallography. In 1964, she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry (as the sole recipient) (video) for her work determining the crystallographic structure of many important molecules. Her other awards include admission to the Royal Society of London (1947) as only the third woman elected, the Royal Medal of the Royal Society (1956), Order of Merit (1965) and the Copley Medal of the Royal Society (1976). Dr. Hodgkin suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, which manifested in 1934, and eventually led to her use of a wheelchair. Despite this, she continued to be active in the scientific community until her death in 1994.
Isabella L. Karle has had a long scientific career. (b. 1921) Born in Detroit to Polish immigrants of modest means, she was encouraged in her academics by her family. She was taught Polish reading, writing, and arithmatic by her mother and learned English when she first attended grade school. Her exposure to science came in high school when she took a chemistry class to meet requirements. Her teacher discouraged her interest, but she was determined to study chemistry in college. She started her college career at Wayne State University, and transferred to the University of Michigan to earn her B.S. in chemistry in 1941 on a four year scholarship. She was interested in graduate school, but fellowships were restricted to men. However, the American Association of University Women awarded her a fellowship, allowing her to pursue graduate work. She earned her M.S. in 1942 and Ph.D. in 1944 from the University of Michigan, and married Jerome Karle along the way.
While Dr. Karle would have liked an academic appointment, at the time, finding an opportunity for such an appointment at institutions with reasonable research facilities was very limited. Instead, she and her husband took work with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. She and her husband were able to pursue their scientific interests over the long course of their careers. Dr. Karle received many awards for her work, including the Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award (1968), Hillebrand Award (1969), Garvan Medal from the American Chemical Society (1976), Robert Dexter Conrad Award (1980), and the Bower Award from Franklin Institute (1993). She has also raised three daughters and kept physical activity as a part of her lifestyle.
Jenny Pickworth Glusker is a scientist known as both a crystallographer and cancer researcher. (b. 1931) Born in Birmingham, England, she was encouraged to study medicine by her family. Instead, she attended Somerville College at Oxford University to study chemistry, earning her B.A. in 1953. She pursued her D.Phil. in chemistry in Dorothy Hodgkin’s laboratory, at Somerville College, and earned that in 1957. After receiving her D.Phil., she married Donald L. Glusker and moved to the United States, where she spent time as a postdoctoral fellow then researcher while raising 3 children. The head of her laboratory, A. Lindo Patterson, died unexpected in 1966, so Dr. Glusker took over as head of the laboratory.
In 1969, she became adjunct faculty in biochemistry and physics at the University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, and continued to teach there for many decades while conducting research at her lab at the Institute for Cancer Research. She has received many awards for her work, including the Garvan Medal (1979) and the Fankuchen Award from the American Crystallographic Association (1995). For a recent auto-biographical article by Jenny P Glusker, visit this American Crystallographic Association article.
Jane Richardson, By original photograph on film by Thomas Photography, Bishop CA via Wikimedia Commons
Jane Richardson is a highly regarded researcher in the field of crystallography, and an expert on protein folding. (b. 1941) Her early interest in science led her to win third place at the Westinghouse Science Talent Search at age 17. She attended Swarthmore college, earning her B.A. then marrying David C. Richardson. Several years later, in 1966, she earned her M.A. in the philosophy of science from Harvard University and her M.A.T. in natural sciences, also from Harvard University. She went to work at Duke University, starting as an Associate in the Department of Anatomy. During this time, she bore two children. She is still at Duke University, now as the James B. Duke Professor of Biochemistry.
Jane Richardson’s work is in proteins, most notably protein structure and folding, with a secondary interest in novel protein design. She has received much recognition for this work, including a MacArthur “Genuis” Fellow in 1985, honorary D.Sc. from both Swarthmore and Duke University, and membership in the National Academy of Sciences.
Awards mentioned
From the Royal Society: Royal Medal: For the most important contributions in the physical, biological and applied sciences. Copley Medal: For outstanding achievements in either the physical or biological sciences.
Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award: The highest award given by the Society of Women Engineers. Bestowed for an outstanding contribution over a SIGNIFICANT period of time in a field of engineering.
American Chemical Society Garvan Medal: To recognize distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists.
The Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award: Presented annually to the individual making an outstanding contribution in naval research and development.
American Crystallographers Association I. Fankuchen Award: To recognize contributions to crystallographic research by one who is known to be an effective teacher of crystallography.
The MacArthur Fellows Program awards unrestricted fellowships to talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.
The National Academy of Science is a private, non-profit society of distinguished scholars.
Bibliography:
Notable Women in the Physical Sciences: A Biographical Dictionary
