This month’s Spotlight is one of the first women we know of in modern days to work in marine biology, Dr. Roger Arliner Young.
Born in 1899 Dr. Young attended Howard University first as a music student and later taking classes in zoology with prominent Black zoologist Ernest Everett Just. In 1924, prior to getting her Masters in Zoology from the University of Chicago, Young became the first African American woman to have soul credit for an article published in the journal Science in the field of marine Biology. In 1940 she achieved her PhD and became the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate degree in zoology. Link
In addition to teaching classes at Howard, and assisting Dr. Just with his research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts Link, Young served as the Acting head of Howard’s Zoology department while Just was overseas on a research project. While serving as research assistant for Just at Howard University.
In 2005 Dr. Young was honored, along with several other pioneering African American Women, with “House Concurrent Resolution 96, a resolution to recognize the significant contributions of African American women to the U.S. scientific community.” Link
The Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Conservation Diversity Fellowship Link was created to support people of color, and to create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fields of environmental conservation and clean energy.
For More information: Link