Dorothy Hodgkin Autograph

Profession:
(1910-1994) British biochemist who developed protein crystallography, for which she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964.

Year of Birth: 1910

Dorothy Mary Hodgkin, born in Cairo, Egypt in 1910, was a British chemist who made major advances in the understanding of molecular structures. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her work in determining the structure of complex biological molecules, including penicillin, insulin, and vitamin B12. She was the third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and the first to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry since Marie Curie.

Hodgkin studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and graduated with a first-class honors degree. After graduation, she began her research in X-ray crystallography, a technique used to determine the structure of molecules. Her research was initially funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, and she was later appointed as a research fellow at Somerville College. It was during this time that she made her most important contributions to chemistry, including her breakthrough discovery of the structure of penicillin in 1945.

Hodgkin continued to make significant advances in the field of X-ray crystallography throughout her career, and she was elected to the Royal Society in 1947. In addition to her research, she also worked as a tutor at Somerville College, and later became a Fellow of the Royal Society. She was also a strong advocate for women in science, and was instrumental in establishing the Society of Women in Science.

Hodgkin was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1965. She was also awarded the Order of Merit in 1971. In addition to her scientific achievements, she was also an active campaigner for peace and disarmament, and served as president of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs from 1975 to 1988.

Hodgkin remained active in the scientific community until her death in 1994. She is remembered as one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century, and her work continues to be celebrated today. Her legacy includes the Dorothy Hodgkin Memorial Lecture, an annual lecture held in her honor at Somerville College.

Dorothy Mary Hodgkin was a pioneering chemist who made major contributions to the understanding of molecular structures. Her work continues to be celebrated to this day, and she is remembered as one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century.