Mary Elliott Hill

Mary Elliott Hill
Born(1907-01-05)January 5, 1907
South Mills, North Carolina, US
DiedFebruary 12, 1969(1969-02-12) (aged 62)
Frankfort, Kentucky, US
Alma mater
Known for
  • Researching ultraviolet spectrometry
  • Ketene synthesis
SpouseCarl McClellan Hill (1907–1995) m. ca 1925
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions

Mary Elliott Hill (January 5, 1907 – February 12, 1969) was one of the earliest African-American women to become a chemist.[1] She was known as both an organic and analytical chemist. Hill worked on the properties of ultraviolet light, developing analytic methodology, and, in collaboration with her husband Carl McClellan Hill, developing ketene synthesis which supported the development of plastics.[2][1] She is believed to be one of the first African-American women to be awarded with a master's degree in chemistry.[3] Hill was an analytical chemist, designing spectroscopic methods and developing ways to track the progress of the reactions based on solubility.

  1. ^ a b Brown, Jeannette (2012). African American Women Chemists. USA: Oxford University Press. pp. 29–33. ISBN -019974288X. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  2. ^ Spangenburg, Ray; Moser, Kit (2003). African Americans in science, math, and invention. New York, NY: Facts On File. p. 117. ISBN 1438107749. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rayner-Canham was invoked but never defined (see the help page).