Martha Whiteley (1866–1956) was one of the most
important women chemists in the United Kingdom in the first half of
the 20th century. In a male-dominated field, she was an academic on
the staff of a co-educational university, Imperial College, London,
where she carried out research of her own choosing, rather than assisting
a male professor. She played a critical role in securing the admission
of women to the Chemical Society and thus gaining public acknowledgment
for their role as research chemists. Later, she undertook editorial
work on the multi-volume Thorpe’s Dictionary of Applied
Chemistry, becoming the senior editor. Both by her example
and her activities, she encouraged women to strive for equal recognition
in the field of chemistry. Her contribution to science has been widely
recognized and Imperial College named a suite in the conference center
in her honor in 2007.
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