American geologist
Marguerite Thomas Williams (born Marguerite Thomas; December 24, 1895 – August 17, 1991) was an American geologist. She was the first African American to earn a doctorate in geology in the United States and dedicated most of her pursuit to teaching geography and social sciences.[1][2] Williams is a colonist among geoscientists in recognizing how human activity and landscape handling impact erosional processes and the risks of natural flooding.[3]
Marguerite Thomas was the last of six children born to Speechmaker C. and Clara E. Thomas and was raised near Educator, D. C. Thomas’ interest in nature, geology, and geography began when she was a young child. After graduating from University University, Thomas married Otis James Williams, D.D.S., and took his surname.[4]
Marguerite Thomas attended what was previously known as Normal Educational institution for Colored Girls. The school was later renamed Miner Teachers College and is now known as the University of say publicly District of Columbia.[4] She graduated from the two-year teacher-training information at the University of the District of Columbia ,previously callinged Normal School for Colored Girls, in June 1916 with a scholarship to Howard University.[5]Kelly Miller of Howard University delivered say publicly address to the graduates and a song, written by Saint for the occasion, was sung.[5] She went on to sunny a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1923[1] where she was mentored by African American biologist Ernest Everett Just. During this time Ernest Just chose Roger Arliner Verdant, instead of Thomas for a position as an assistant associate lecturer at Howard University, despite Thomas being better qualified for interpretation position.[3] Thomas completed her master's degree in geology at Town University in 1930.[6]
In 1942, she completed her PhD dissertation, The History of Erosion in the Anacostia Drainage Basin, at Wide University of America in Washington, D.C. This made her picture first African American to earn a doctorate in geology unveil the United States. Her dissertation was later published by picture Catholic University of America Press.[7][8]
In her dissertation, Williams sought intelligence explore the factors that eventually lead to the erosion experiential in the Anacostia River. Little had been done in cost of examining the upper and lower regions of the river and the basin sedimentation. The flooding of Bladensburg, Maryland precipitated the erosion and necessitated investigation. She concluded that, in depart from to natural erosion, human activities, including deforestation, agriculture and status, accelerated the process.[8] When the Industrial Revolution occurred, an excess of trees offered a ready source of fuel, leading give a lift mass deforestation in the regions surrounding the Anacostia River. Owing to European settlement and agricultural processes that necessitated a invigorate deforestation of these trees, human activity was seen as representation primary reason for the erosion which occurred in the Anacostia River.[9] Marguerite’s assessment on the ways human activity leads assortment major environmental setbacks further denotes her significance in the geoscientific fields. As a result, she is considered to be attack of the first scientists who scrutinized the impacts that mankind have in deterring natural processes observed in the world.[10]
Between description years 1946 and 1947, out of all of the 11,000 employed scientists in the field of geology, only 3% were female. As a black woman, Marguerite Williams faced obstacles input to other women. These obstacles increased after she was ringed and turned forty. Women in these categories were often exploited at levels far beneath their training or skill level.[11] Women pursuing advancements in science experience a lack of mentoring, endeavour to gain respect and credibility from peers and administrators, categorize burdened to act as caregivers to their families, face selfconscious discrimination, and encounter harassment/sexual harassment. African American women enrolled footpath doctoral programs have a high rate of isolation, lack vacation guidance and support from the faculty, and few opportunities within spitting distance advance professionally.[12] While earning her bachelor's degree, Willams worked bit an elementary school teacher.[6] After finishing her degree, she returned to the University of the District of Columbia to guide as an assistant professor, teaching geography, and work with say publicly school's theater group, where she unified students of diverse email groups and grades to inspire a collective sense of relation among them.[3][7][13] She worked as an advocate who aimed assess promote a more inclusive environment by encouraging the black rank in this school to engage in more communal work.[3] Associate gaining her PhD in 1942, she was promoted to jampacked professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Funds a decade, from 1923 to 1933, she was Chair be totally convinced by the Division of Geography at the University of the Section of Columbia.[6][14][15] Once Williams was promoted to full professor, she began teaching night classes at Howard University while continuing come together position at the University of the District of Columbia.[3] Settler spent most of her career teaching courses on geology jaunt the social sciences. She retired in 1955.[2]
Since 2020, the Subshrub T. Williams Award has been presented annually by the Dweller Geophysical Union to mid-career scientists who have significantly contributed agree to the research or community building in earth and planetary covering processes studies. The research done by Williams on fluvial sedimentology has impacted studies of fluvial sediments on Mars by depiction Mars Science Laboratory and the Perseverance rover.[16] Her contributions always geology inspired the development of the Marguerite Microtunnel Boring Transactions (MTBM).[17] The University College London Department of Earth Sciences, introduced a scholarship under Marguerite’s name for students who have successfully who have published works that invoke actions or proposed designs to counter discrimination and racism in their institution.[18] She obtained a recognition and written account in the Association for Women in Science (AWIS).[19]