3 WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY HISTORY

DOROTHEA WALLICH JULIA LERMONTOVA MARGARET TODD BORN 1657 DIED 1725 BORN 1846 DIED 1919 BORN 1859 DIED 1918

Carried out experiments with cobalt The first Russian woman to become a A doctor who suggested the term compounds and was the first to identify doctor in chemistry. Carried out research ‘isotopes’, from the Greek meaning ‘at thermochromic (changing colour due to on the separation of the platinum group the same place’ , for atoms of the same temperature) reactions of cobalt chloride. metals and in hydrocarbon chemistry. element with different masses.

IDA FREUND ASTRID CLEVE VON EULER HARRIET BROOKS BORN 1863 DIED 1914 BORN 1875 DIED 1968 BORN 1876 DIED 1933

The first woman university chemistry Carried out research on ytterbium, Working with Ernest Rutherford, Brooks lecturer in the UK. She published two determining the atomic weight and some identified and carried out experiments chemistry textbooks, and was the first of its properties. Also wrote a book on the on a radioactive gas which was later person to bake periodic table cupcakes. element selenium for general readers. confirmed as the element radon.

GERTRUD WOKER MAY SYBIL LESLIE ELIZABETH RONA BORN 1878 DIED 1968 BORN 1887 DIED 1937 BORN 1890 DIED 1981

Researched catalysis, plant chemistry, Worked with Marie Curie on extracting A nuclear chemist recognised as an and the effects of various chemicals in new elements from thorium, and later expert in polonium extraction. She also the body. She also campaigned against worked with Ernest Rutherford on the researched seawater radioactivity and the use of poison gas in war. properties of thorium and actinium. techniques to date sea sediments.

ERIKA CREMER YVETTE CAUCHOIS MARGUERITE PEREY BORN 1900 DIED 1996 BORN 1908 DIED 1999 BORN 1909 DIED 1975

Developed theory and instrumentation Contributed to the discovery of astatine, Discovered francium, the only element for the first gas chromatograph, used to identifying one of its isotopes, and discovered solely by a woman. She separate different gases. Her work was used X-ray spectroscopy to study heavy championed stricter safety measures for not fully recognised until decades later. elements and the actinides. chemists working with radiation.

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