Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July, 1920 - 16 April, 1958) was a British physical chemist and crystallographer who made important contributions to the understanding of the fine structures of coal and graphite, DNA and viruses.

Cambridge and early career 1938-1950

In the autumn of 1938 Rosalind Franklin started at Newnham College, Cambridge. At this time women were not accepted as members of the University, simply as 'students of Girton and Newnham Colleges', the number of women students was kept to 500 (10% of the student body) and women were not entitled to a degree from the University{{ref|maddox2}}. She passed her finals in 1941{{ref|maddox7}}, and worked for R.G.W. Norish between 1941 and 1942{{ref|maddox8}}. Because of her desire to do war work{{ref|maddox9}} (World War II was ongoing), she worked at the British Coal Utilization Research Association in Kingston-upon-Thames from August 1942{{ref|maddox10}} studying the porosity of coal{{ref|maddox11}}. Her work helped spark the idea of high-strength carbon fibres and was the basis of her doctoral degree The physical chemistry of solid organic colloids with special reference to coal and related materials{{ref|maddox12}} that she earned in 1945.

Related Topics:
Newnham College, Cambridge - 1941 - R.G.W. Norish - 1942 - War work - World War II - Kingston-upon-Thames

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After the war ended she accepted an offer to work in Paris in France with Jaques Mering{{ref|maddox13}}. She learned X-ray diffraction techniques during her three years at the Laboratoire central des services chimiques de l'État{{ref|maddox14}}. She seemed to have been very happy there and earned an international reputation on the structure of coal{{ref|coal}}. Franklin enjoyed French culture and French conversation{{ref|maddox15}}. She was credited by her French colleagues with speaking perfect French with very slight English accent{{ref label|maddox15|17|a}}. In 1950 she started seeking work in England{{ref|maddox16}} and in June 1950 she was appointed to a position at King's College{{ref|maddox17}}. After accepting the position at King's, but before leaving Paris, she wondered if she had made the ..biggest mistake of my life.{{ref|Maddox18}}.

Related Topics:
Paris - France - Jaques Mering - X-ray - England

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