Dr. Alice Mary Dowse Weeks
Geologist, Cartographer, WWII cartographer
August 26, 1909 – August 29, 1988
Alice Mary Weeks was born in Sherborn on August 26, 1909. After finishing her early education, she attended Tufts University and obtained degrees in science and mathematics.
She then taught at a girl’s school, for two years to save enough money to complete further education at Tufts. In 1932, she returned to Tufts to take geology and cartography courses. In 1934, she attended the Harvard Graduate School of Science, where she received her Master’s Degree of Science.
As a woman at Harvard, Dr. Weeks was denied the same opportunities that her respective male classmates were given. In many cases, she was forced to sit out of lectures or was simply removed from class.
According to James Gregory Moore of the U.S. Government Geographical Printing Office, instead of continuing her research at Harvard, Weeks went on to work as a professor of geology, cartography, and geomorphology at Wellesley College. However, her work at Wellesley was soon disrupted by World War II. As a part of the war effort, Weeks taught her map-making and cartography skills to officers. She later recieved her doctorate. After the war, Weeks joined the USGS Uranium Exploration. There, she worked with an emphasis on radioactive diposits and mineralogy. During several fellowships across the United States, Weeks turned focus to mineral identification.
In one town-wide known account, she was remembered for dressing like a man to be able to enter a "male-only" mine. It was efforts such as these that made her stand out amongst other scientists.
During her research, Weeks identified a new mineral that had been previously undiscovered. "Weeksite" is named after her today and is pictured below.
At the time, women were not widely accepted in the field of science. In most cases, Weeks was not nearly as respected as her male peers were. She is regarded today as one of the first female geological scientists and is listed in the official “American Men and Women of Science.”
Geologist, Cartographer, WWII cartographer
August 26, 1909 – August 29, 1988
Alice Mary Weeks was born in Sherborn on August 26, 1909. After finishing her early education, she attended Tufts University and obtained degrees in science and mathematics.
She then taught at a girl’s school, for two years to save enough money to complete further education at Tufts. In 1932, she returned to Tufts to take geology and cartography courses. In 1934, she attended the Harvard Graduate School of Science, where she received her Master’s Degree of Science.
As a woman at Harvard, Dr. Weeks was denied the same opportunities that her respective male classmates were given. In many cases, she was forced to sit out of lectures or was simply removed from class.
According to James Gregory Moore of the U.S. Government Geographical Printing Office, instead of continuing her research at Harvard, Weeks went on to work as a professor of geology, cartography, and geomorphology at Wellesley College. However, her work at Wellesley was soon disrupted by World War II. As a part of the war effort, Weeks taught her map-making and cartography skills to officers. She later recieved her doctorate. After the war, Weeks joined the USGS Uranium Exploration. There, she worked with an emphasis on radioactive diposits and mineralogy. During several fellowships across the United States, Weeks turned focus to mineral identification.
In one town-wide known account, she was remembered for dressing like a man to be able to enter a "male-only" mine. It was efforts such as these that made her stand out amongst other scientists.
During her research, Weeks identified a new mineral that had been previously undiscovered. "Weeksite" is named after her today and is pictured below.
At the time, women were not widely accepted in the field of science. In most cases, Weeks was not nearly as respected as her male peers were. She is regarded today as one of the first female geological scientists and is listed in the official “American Men and Women of Science.”
