Fanny Gates

Fanny Gates
Born26 April 1872[1][2]
Waterloo, Iowa, United States[1]
Died24 February 1931 (aged 58)[1][2]
Chicago, United States[1]
NationalityAmerican
Alma materNorthwestern University;
University of Pennsylvania
OccupationProfessor of Physics

Fanny Cook Gates (26 April 1872 – 24 February 1931) was an American physicist, an American Physical Society fellow and American Mathematical Society member.[3] She made contributions to the research of radioactive materials, determining that radioactivity could not be destroyed by heat or ionization due to chemical reactions, and that radioactive materials differ from phosphorescent materials both qualitatively and quantitatively.[4] More specifically, Gates showed that the emission of blue light from quinine was temperature dependent, providing evidence that the emitted light is produced from phosphorescence rather than radioactive decay.[5] She also served as head of the physics department at Goucher, professor of physics and dean of women at Grinnell College, and the dean of women at the University of Illinois.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d A Devotion to Their Science: Pioneer Women of Radioactivity. Chemical Heritage Foundation. 1997. pp. 138–144. ISBN 978-0-941901-15-4.
  2. ^ a b Fanny Cook Gates (1872–1931) – Find A Grave Memorial. Findagrave.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-22.
  3. ^ "Members of the Society". Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society. 13: 11–57. 1907. doi:10.1090/S0002-9904-1907-01395-2.
  4. ^ Byers, Moszkowski, Wong. "Fanny Cook Gates, 1872–1931". Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics. CWP at UCLA. Retrieved 2014-02-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Gates, Fanny Cook (1904). "On the Nature of Certain Radiation from the Sulphate of Quinine". Physical Review. Series 1. 18 (3): 135–145. Bibcode:1904PhRvI..18..135G. doi:10.1103/physrevseriesi.18.135.
  6. ^ Singer, Sandra L. (2003). Adventures Abroad: North American Women at German-speaking Universities, 1868-1915. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 100. ISBN 9780313323713.