Emma P. Carr
Encyclopedia
Emma Perry Carr was an American spectroscopist and chemical educator.
Carr was born in Holmesville, Ohio
, the third child of Edmund and Anna Carr. She went to high school in Coshocton, Ohio
, before attending Ohio State University
from 1898 until 1899, and then Mount Holyoke College
from 1900 until 1902. She stayed at Mount Holyoke as an assistant in the chemistry department until going to the University of Chicago
to take her senior year in physical chemistry, receiving her B.S. in 1905. She then spent two years teaching at Mount Holyoke before returning to Chicago to study for her Ph.D., which she received in 1910.
With her Ph.D. in hand, she returned to Mount Holyoke as a professor, being named Head of Department in 1913. She was able to establish a research program studying the ultraviolet spectra of hydrocarbon
s, and established a link between the frequencies of the absorptions and the enthalpy change of combustion of the compound. She also participated in the International Critical Tables of the International Research Council, where she worked with Professor Victor Henri
of the University of Zurich
. She retired in 1946.
Carr was the inaugural recipient in 1937 of the Francis P. Garvan Gold Medal of the American Chemical Society
(ACS), established "to recognize distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists". She also received the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry of the Northeastern Section of the ACS in Spring 1957 (with Mary Lura Sherrill). The chemistry building at Mount Holyoke College was dedicated in her honor in 1955.
When her health began to fail her, she was placed in a care home in Evanston, Illinois
, nearer to her nephew, James Carr, and the rest of her family. She died of heart failure on January 7, 1972.
Carr was born in Holmesville, Ohio
Holmesville, Ohio
Holmesville is a village in Holmes County, Ohio, United States, along Killbuck Creek. The population was 386 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Holmesville is located at ....
, the third child of Edmund and Anna Carr. She went to high school in Coshocton, Ohio
Coshocton, Ohio
Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States. The population of the city was 11,682 at the 2000 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Coshocton to form the Muskingum River....
, before attending Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
from 1898 until 1899, and then Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
from 1900 until 1902. She stayed at Mount Holyoke as an assistant in the chemistry department until going to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
to take her senior year in physical chemistry, receiving her B.S. in 1905. She then spent two years teaching at Mount Holyoke before returning to Chicago to study for her Ph.D., which she received in 1910.
With her Ph.D. in hand, she returned to Mount Holyoke as a professor, being named Head of Department in 1913. She was able to establish a research program studying the ultraviolet spectra of hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
s, and established a link between the frequencies of the absorptions and the enthalpy change of combustion of the compound. She also participated in the International Critical Tables of the International Research Council, where she worked with Professor Victor Henri
Victor Henri
Victor Henri was a French physical chemist. He published over 500 papers in a variety of disciplines including biochemistry, physical chemistry, psychology and physiology....
of the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. She retired in 1946.
Carr was the inaugural recipient in 1937 of the Francis P. Garvan Gold Medal of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
(ACS), established "to recognize distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists". She also received the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry of the Northeastern Section of the ACS in Spring 1957 (with Mary Lura Sherrill). The chemistry building at Mount Holyoke College was dedicated in her honor in 1955.
When her health began to fail her, she was placed in a care home in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, nearer to her nephew, James Carr, and the rest of her family. She died of heart failure on January 7, 1972.