Alice Ball

Not to be confused with Alice Bell.
Alice Ball
Born(1892-07-24)July 24, 1892
Seattle, Washington
DiedDecember 31, 1916(1916-12-31) (aged 24)
U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma mater
Known forTreatment of leprosy
Scientific career
FieldsChemistry

Alice Augusta Ball (July 24, 1892 – December 31, 1916) was an American chemist who developed the "Ball Method" for making ethyl ester derivatives of chaulmoogra oil, which were used as a treatment for leprosy during the early 20th century.[1] She was the first woman and first African American to receive a master's degree from the University of Hawaiʻi, and was also the university's first female and African American chemistry professor.[2] She died at age 24 and her contributions to science were not recognized until many years after her death.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Black Past was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Women Chemists was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Croucher, John S. "Alice Augusta Ball". Women in Science: 100 Inspirational Lives. Gloucestershire UK: Amberley Publishing 2019, 32-33. ISBN 9781445684727