Appreciated abroad, depreciated at home. The career of a radiochemist in Norway: Ellen Gleditsch (1879-1968).
Ellen Gleditsch (1879-1968) became Norway's first authority on radioactivity and the country's second female full professor. From her many years abroad--in Marie Curie's laboratory in Paris and at Yale University in New Haven with Bertram Boltram--she became internationally acknowledged and developed an extensive personal and scientific network. In the Norwegian scientific community she was, however, less appreciated, and her appointment as a professor in 1929 caused controversy. Despite the recommendation of the expert committee, her predecessor and his allies spread the view that Gleditsch was a diligent but outdated researcher with little scientific promise-a view that apparently persists in the Norwegian chemical community today. In addition to her scientific work, Gleditsch acquired political influence by joining the International Federation of University Women in 1920; she later became the president of both the Norwegian section and the worldwide organization. She worked in particular to establish scholarships enabling women to go abroad.
Lykknes
Annette
A
Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Annette.Lykknes@chem.ntnu.no
Kvittingen
Lise
L
Børresen
Anne Kristine
AK
D002621:Chemistry / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000266:history; D009664:Norway; D010297:Paris; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000266:history*; D011871:Radiology / Q000266:history*; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States