Dorothy Hill

Dorothy Hill, AC, CBE, FAA, FRS^[1] (10 September 1907 – 23 April 1997). She was an Australian geologist, the first female professor at an Australian university, and the first female president of the Australian Academy of Science.

Education

Hill grew up in Brisbane and attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Following high school she considered studying medicine and entering her life in medical research, but at the time the University of Queensland did not offer a medical degree, and the Hill family could not afford to send Dorothy to Sydney. Fortunately, she won one of twenty entrance scholarships to the University of Queensland, where she decided to study science, in particular chemistry. She chose to study geology as an elective, and under the guidance of Professor H.C. Richards she graduated in 1928 with a First Class Honours degree in Geology, the University's Gold Medal for Outstanding Merit and a scholarship to study at the Sedgwick Museum at [University of Cambridge].

Career

Dorothy Hill studied at Cambridge from 1929 to 1933 every Wednesday to research the Carboniferous corals of Scotland, and obtaining her PhD. She remained in England for seven years, publishing several important papers systemising the terminology for describing Rugose corals. When Hill returned to Australia she took on the huge task of mapping the limestone coral faunas of Australia, using them to outline wide-ranging stratigraphy, and producing papers on the coral faunas of all states except South Australia. This work on Palaeozoic corals became the worldwide standard.

During World War II Hill enlisted in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service. She worked 80–90 hours a week on cypher and coding of shipping orders.

In 1964 Hill was awarded the Lyell Medal for scientific research by the Geological Society of London.

In 1956 Hill became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. She served time on Academy committees, becoming Vice-President in 1969 and became the first female President in 1970, following the death of David Forbes Martyn. At the end of her term of office she did not seek re-election.

References

1. ^ Campbell, K. S. W.; Jell, J. S. (1999). "Dorothy Hill, A.C., C.B.E. 10 September 1907 -- 23 April 1997: Elected F.R.S. 1965". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 45: 195. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1999.0014.  edit

Bibliography

• Campbell, K.S.W. and Jell, J.S. 1998, Dorothy Hill 1907-1997, AAS Biographical Memoirs

Persondata
Name	Hill, Dorothy
Alternative names
Short description	Australian geologist
Date of birth	10 September 1907
Place of birth	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Date of death	23 April 1997
Place of death