Jimena Quirós facts for kids

Jimena Quirós Fernández y Tello (born in Almería, Spain on December 5, 1899 – died in Madrid, Spain in 1983) was an important Spanish scientist. She is known as the first female oceanographer in Spain. Jimena was also the first woman scientist to work at the Spanish Institute for Oceanography [es] (IEO). This institute, started in 1914, studies the ocean and marine life.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Spain

Jimena Quirós Fernández y Tello was born in Almería on December 5, 1899. She was the youngest of many children. Her family moved often because of her father's job. He was an engineer who worked with gas installations. Jimena's mother, Carmen Fernández-Tello, was a qualified teacher and businesswoman. She opened her own private school. This helped support the family after Jimena's father left when she was very young.

Studying in Madrid

In 1917, before she turned 18, Jimena moved to Madrid. She went to Central University, which is now the Complutense University of Madrid. While studying, she lived at the "Residencia de Señoritas". This was the first official place in Spain to help women go to university. Many bright women in science, culture, and politics stayed there. Jimena met famous people like Maruja Mallo and Clara Campoamor because of this residence.

A Pioneer in Oceanography

Starting Her Scientific Journey

Jimena became very interested in oceanography. In April 1920, while still a student, she began working as an intern at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO). That summer, she traveled to Santander. She helped prepare for a big project planned for the next year.

First Female Oceanographer

In 1921, Jimena graduated from Science with honors. Just a few months later, she made history. She became the first Spanish woman scientist on an oceanographic expedition. This trip was led by the IEO on the ship Giralda. It lasted a month and explored the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Jimena worked as an assistant to a French oceanographer named Julien Thoulet. When she returned, at only 22 years old, she passed a tough exam. She then joined the IEO laboratory in the Balearic Islands. She was the first woman scientist ever hired by the institute.

Researching Marine Life

In March 1922, Jimena moved to the IEO laboratories in Málaga. There, she studied the biology of mollusks. In 1923, the Fishing Bulletin of the IEO published her article about this work. This was the first scientific oceanography article written by a woman in Spain. In her study, Jimena described over forty species. She also warned that some fish in the Malaga bay were becoming scarce.

Learning Abroad

Jimena loved to travel and learn new things. In 1925, she went to Paris to study marine biology at the University of Paris. She also worked at the Roscoff Biological Station in Brittany, France. Her desire to learn more led her to apply for a scholarship. She wanted to study at the Physiography Laboratory of Columbia University in New York. She won the scholarship in 1926. She traveled to New York to work with top scientists. There, she focused on the physical geography of the atmosphere and oceans.

Later Years and Challenges

Working in the Cantabrian Sea

In May 1932, Jimena was sent to the Cantabrian Sea. Her job was to collect oceanographic data. For three months, she took daily measurements of water temperature, clarity, and saltiness. She noticed some problems with the methods she was given. She was very critical of recent work done in the bay. Because of disagreements with some people at the IEO, a formal complaint was made against her. However, she was cleared of all charges in 1934. During this time, Jimena decided to try something new. She earned a teaching degree for secondary schools. She taught Natural History at a new institute in Bilbao.

Returning to the IEO

At the end of 1934, Jimena returned to Madrid and rejoined the IEO. But when the Spanish Civil War began, the government asked her to go back to teaching high school.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Besides her science work, Jimena Quirós was a strong supporter of gender equality. She worked in politics to fight for women's rights. From 1924, she was the vice-president of the Spanish University Women Association. In 1928, she helped organize a conference for the International Federation of University Women (IFUW). In 1930, Jimena joined the Radical Socialist Republican Party. From 1932, she led the party's Women's Committee. Her goal was to achieve equal rights for women.

After the Civil War

After the Spanish Civil War ended, Jimena was ordered to return to Madrid. The Ministry of the Navy began to investigate her. In October 1940, she was officially fired from her job. This was because she was seen as having "leftist ideas." She had been part of the Radical Socialist Republican Party. She also supported the leaders of the Popular Front.

Jimena survived the war, but her scientific career and her fight for equality were stopped. After this, she gave private lessons in an academy. She also took care of her mother.

In November 1966, Jimena Quirós tried to get her job back at the IEO. She was finally allowed to return three years later. She continued to fight for all her rights. Jimena Quirós died in Madrid in 1983.

See also

In Spanish: Jimena Quirós para niños