Fanny Rysan Mulford Hitchcock facts for kids

Fanny Rysan Mulford Hitchcock (born February 7, 1851 – died September 25, 1936) was a pioneering American scientist. She was one of only 13 women in the 1800s to earn a doctorate in chemistry. She was also the first woman to get a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. Fanny made important discoveries in many fields. These included the study of insects (entomology), fish bones (osteology), and plant diseases (pathology). She started her studies at Columbia University and later moved to the University of Pennsylvania. She worked there for many years. Fanny dedicated her life to helping other women get an education at the university.

Early Life and Education

Fanny Rysan Mulford Hitchcock was born on February 7, 1851. Her parents were Elizabeth and Julius Hitchcock. She had an older sister, Caroline, and a younger brother, Cyrus. Even before going to an American university, Fanny was already doing research. She studied vertebrate paleontology, which is the study of ancient animals with backbones.

In 1887, she shared her findings on Edestus fossils with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She began her university studies at Columbia University. Later, she transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. At the time, Columbia University did not accept female students. However, Fanny offered to help raise money for a lab at Barnard College. This was a women's college where female students would soon be able to attend.

In 1892, Fanny continued her science studies in Germany. She worked in the chemistry department at the University of Berlin. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1894. Her main research was on "The Tungstates and Molybdates of the Rare Earths." This was about special metal compounds. Her professor, Edgar Fahs Smith, guided her studies.

Supporting Women in Academia

After getting her Ph.D., Fanny returned to the University of Pennsylvania. In 1897, she became the first Director of the Women's Graduate Department. She worked hard to create more courses for women at the university. However, her ideas were not approved by the university's leaders. Because of this, she stepped down from her director position in 1901. No one was chosen to take her place.

Outside of her university work, Fanny had her own science labs. She had one at her home in Philadelphia and another at her country house in Warwick, New York. She was known for helping students who could not afford university. She even rented a gym for the women students to use when she was a director. In 1921, at 70 years old, she retired from chemistry. She gave all her lab equipment to the University of Pennsylvania. She hoped it would be used if a women's fund or college was ever created.

Later Research and Inventions

After earning her Ph.D., Fanny started experimenting more with metals. She even bought a mountain called "Taylor Hill" in Bellvale. This mountain gave her access to a special element called Uranium. This area was also home to Mistucky Brook. Fanny made an agreement with the city of Warwick. This agreement stopped buildings from being built near the brook. It was to help reduce pollution and protect the environment.

In 1909, she began working on a special invention. It was a "Food Compound for Promoting the Rapid Growth of Poultry." This was a type of food to help chickens grow faster. Her patent for this invention was approved in 1913. Fanny passed away on September 25, 1936. She is buried with her family in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Scientific Community Involvement

Throughout her life, Fanny Hitchcock was very active in many scientific groups. While at the University of Pennsylvania, she was one of the first women to join the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity. She also became a member of the Sigma Xi Society. This is a well-known scientific research honor society.

She also joined Beta Alpha, another university organization. Here, she started the first philanthropy project for the group. It was an annual prize that later grew into the Student Aid Fund. In 1881, she joined the New York Academy of Sciences and later became a fellow. She was also a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1888, she hosted a meeting of the New York Mineralogist Club at her home.

Fanny joined the American Mathematical Society in 1894. She was a member until 1910. This group was also known as Project Euclid and the New York Mathematical Society. She was also a member of the American Electrochemical Society, the American Chemical Society, and the American Physical Society. In 1920, she joined the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Engineers. She was also a member of the Franklin Institute, a famous science museum and education center.

Scientific Contributions and Articles

Fanny Hitchcock wrote many important scientific papers. Here are some of her key works:

• "The Tungstates and Molybdates of the Rare Earths" (1895) – Her Ph.D. thesis about special metal compounds.
• "XI.—Further Notes on the Osteology of the Shad, (Alosa sapidissima)" (1889) – About the bones of a type of fish called a shad.
• "Introductory Note on the Reduction of Metallic Oxides, At High Temperatures" (1898) – About how metals change at very hot temperatures.
• "Notes on the Atomic Mass of Tungsten" (1898) – About the weight of atoms of the element tungsten.

The following articles are known by name, but the full research papers are not always easily found:

• "Occurrence of Early Stages of Blepharocera" (1886)
• "Preliminary Paper on Structure of Alosa Sapidissima" (1887)
• "On the Homologies of Edestus" (1887)
• "Preliminary Notes on the Osteology of Alosa Sapidissima" (1887)
• "Notes on the Larvae of Ambylstoma" (also known as "Karyokinesis in Larval Amblystoma") (1888)
• "Petrological Microscope, with Various Accessories, Designed by Fuess of Berlin" (1897)
• "Some Substances found in Uranium Compounds and in Iron Ores of Orange County, N.Y." (1912)
• "Beta Rays and the Chemical Elements" (1915)
• "Some Undescribed Disintegration Products of Radioactive Elements" (1917)
• "The Effect of Lead Upon Thorium Nitrate in Aqueous Solution" (1919)