Scientist. In 1948, Mildred Southwick, along with colleague Edith Roberts, made the important discovery that the original source of vitamin A is young green and yellow plants, a fact which has saved the eyesight of tens of millions of children around the world, especially rural children living in poverty. She earned bachelor's (1926) and master's degrees in botany from Vassar College, and a PhD in plant ecology from the University of Wisconsin. Later, she received a library science degree from the University of California at Berekely. In 1932, she received the Nancy Skinner Clark fellowship to study botany at Cornell, and the Woods Hole Tables in 1938. She became assistant professor in plant science at Vassar in 1948 while she continued her research in plant ecology. Her research was instrumental in the establishment of the Department of Conservation at Vassar in 1941. In 1943, she was appointed a graduate scholar at the University of Wisconsin, an honor shared by only 5 other students. Dr. Southwick was one of only two women at the first meeting of the Electron Microscopy Association in December 1946. She changed careers in 1954, becoming a professor of library science and curator at Eastern Carolina University. Between her master's degree and PhD, she also taught at the prestigious Hillside School in Norwalk, Connecticut. She was a member of Sigma Delta Epsilon, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Delta Kappa Gamma.
Scientist. In 1948, Mildred Southwick, along with colleague Edith Roberts, made the important discovery that the original source of vitamin A is young green and yellow plants, a fact which has saved the eyesight of tens of millions of children around the world, especially rural children living in poverty. She earned bachelor's (1926) and master's degrees in botany from Vassar College, and a PhD in plant ecology from the University of Wisconsin. Later, she received a library science degree from the University of California at Berekely. In 1932, she received the Nancy Skinner Clark fellowship to study botany at Cornell, and the Woods Hole Tables in 1938. She became assistant professor in plant science at Vassar in 1948 while she continued her research in plant ecology. Her research was instrumental in the establishment of the Department of Conservation at Vassar in 1941. In 1943, she was appointed a graduate scholar at the University of Wisconsin, an honor shared by only 5 other students. Dr. Southwick was one of only two women at the first meeting of the Electron Microscopy Association in December 1946. She changed careers in 1954, becoming a professor of library science and curator at Eastern Carolina University. Between her master's degree and PhD, she also taught at the prestigious Hillside School in Norwalk, Connecticut. She was a member of Sigma Delta Epsilon, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Delta Kappa Gamma.
Bio by: HistoryAnne
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