Eugenie Maria Morenus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eugenie Maria Morenus
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Eugenie Maria Morenus from a 1921 yearbook
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| Born | February 21, 1881 Cleveland, New York
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| Died | October 15, 1966 Lake Wales, Florida
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| Occupation | Mathematician, college professor |
Eugenie Maria Morenus (born February 21, 1881, died October 15, 1966) was an American mathematician. She was also a college professor. She taught Latin and math at Sweet Briar College for many years, from 1909 to 1946.
Early Life and Learning
Eugenie Maria Morenus was born in Cleveland, New York. Her father managed a factory that made glass. She finished high school in 1898 in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.
She went to Vassar College and earned her first degree in 1904. She then got her master's degree from the same college in 1905. Later, she continued her studies in math at Columbia University. She earned her highest degree, a doctorate, in 1922. Her special research paper was about "Geometric properties completely characterizing the set of all the curves of constant pressure in a field of force". This sounds complicated, but it was a deep dive into how shapes and forces work together in math!
Eugenie also studied for shorter times at other famous places. These included the University of Chicago and a school in Göttingen, Germany.
Teaching Career
After getting her master's degree, Eugenie taught math and Latin. She worked at a school in Watertown, New York. She also taught at Poughkeepsie High School.
In 1909, she started teaching Latin at Sweet Briar College. She taught Latin there until 1916. After that, she became a math professor at the same college. She taught math there for a long time, until 1946. For many of those years, she was the head of the math department.
Eugenie was very involved in college life. She sang in the choir and loved taking photos. She even directed plays for the students! She had a horse named October, or "Toby." Toby was well-known around the campus. Eugenie would often lead students on fun ten-day horse rides during their spring breaks.
Professional Groups and Studies
Eugenie was a founding member of the Mathematical Association of America. This is a group for people who love math. She also belonged to the Virginia Academy of Science. She was active in the American Association of University Women (AAUW). This group helps women in higher education.
In 1927, the AAUW gave her a special scholarship. It was called the Anna Brackett Fellowship. This allowed her to study at Cambridge University in England.
After she retired from Sweet Briar College in 1946, she taught for a short time at Connecticut College for Women. She spent her winters in sunny Florida.
Later Life
Eugenie Morenus passed away in Lake Wales, Florida, in 1966. She was 85 years old. To honor her, Sweet Briar College started a special scholarship fund in her name in 1960. This fund helps students who want to study there.
