Harriet Creighton
Encyclopedia
Harriet Baldwin Creighton (27 June 1909 – January 9, 2004) was an American
botanist, geneticist
and educator.
Born in Delavan, Illinois
, Creighton graduated from Wellesley College in 1929, and went on to complete her Ph.D. at Cornell University
in 1933. During her time at Cornell she worked in the field of maize cytogenetics
with Barbara McClintock
, the pair published a very influential paper in 1931 in which they described chromosomal crossover
for the first time. This paper, part of her Ph.D. research, provided key evidence that chromosomes carried and exchanged genetic information and hence that 'genes' for physical traits are carried on chromosomes. Barbara McClintock guided her Ph.D. research (Kass, Lee B. 2005c. Harriet Creighton: Proud botanist. Plant Science Bulletin. 51(4): 118-125. Available online, December 2005: http://www.botany.org/PlantScienceBulletin/PSB-2005-51-4.php#HARRIET; Kass, L. B. and Chomet, P. 2009. Barbara McClintock, Pgs. 17-52, in J. Bennetzen and S. Hake, Editors, Handbook of Maize: Genetics and Genomics. Springer).
After completing her Ph.D. she taught at Cornell University
and Connecticut College
, and then returned to Wellesley where she taught until her retirement in 1974; taking time from her career to serve in the U.S. Navy during WW II (Kass, Lee B. 2005c. Harriet Creighton: Proud botanist. Plant Science Bulletin. 51(4): 118-125. Available online, December 2005: http://www.botany.org/PlantScienceBulletin/PSB-2005-51-4.php#HARRIET; Kass, Lee B. 2007a. Harriet B. Creighton (1909-2004), on Women Pioneers in Plant Biology, American Society of Plant Biologists website, Ann Hirsch editor. Published online, February 2007: http://www.aspb.org/committees/women/pioneers.cfm#Creighton; Kass, Lee B. 2007b. Barbara McClintock (1902-1992), on Women Pioneers in Plant Biology, American Society of Plant Biologists website, Ann Hirsch editor. Published online, March 2007: http://www.aspb.org/committees/women/pioneers.cfm#McClintock).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
botanist, geneticist
Geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
and educator.
Born in Delavan, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Creighton graduated from Wellesley College in 1929, and went on to complete her Ph.D. at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1933. During her time at Cornell she worked in the field of maize cytogenetics
Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
with Barbara McClintock
Barbara McClintock
Barbara McClintock , the 1983 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, was an American scientist and one of the world's most distinguished cytogeneticists. McClintock received her PhD in botany from Cornell University in 1927, where she was a leader in the development of maize cytogenetics...
, the pair published a very influential paper in 1931 in which they described chromosomal crossover
Chromosomal crossover
Chromosomal crossover is an exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes. It is one of the final phases of genetic recombination, which occurs during prophase I of meiosis in a process called synapsis. Synapsis begins before the synaptonemal complex develops, and is not completed...
for the first time. This paper, part of her Ph.D. research, provided key evidence that chromosomes carried and exchanged genetic information and hence that 'genes' for physical traits are carried on chromosomes. Barbara McClintock guided her Ph.D. research (Kass, Lee B. 2005c. Harriet Creighton: Proud botanist. Plant Science Bulletin. 51(4): 118-125. Available online, December 2005: http://www.botany.org/PlantScienceBulletin/PSB-2005-51-4.php#HARRIET; Kass, L. B. and Chomet, P. 2009. Barbara McClintock, Pgs. 17-52, in J. Bennetzen and S. Hake, Editors, Handbook of Maize: Genetics and Genomics. Springer).
After completing her Ph.D. she taught at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
, and then returned to Wellesley where she taught until her retirement in 1974; taking time from her career to serve in the U.S. Navy during WW II (Kass, Lee B. 2005c. Harriet Creighton: Proud botanist. Plant Science Bulletin. 51(4): 118-125. Available online, December 2005: http://www.botany.org/PlantScienceBulletin/PSB-2005-51-4.php#HARRIET; Kass, Lee B. 2007a. Harriet B. Creighton (1909-2004), on Women Pioneers in Plant Biology, American Society of Plant Biologists website, Ann Hirsch editor. Published online, February 2007: http://www.aspb.org/committees/women/pioneers.cfm#Creighton; Kass, Lee B. 2007b. Barbara McClintock (1902-1992), on Women Pioneers in Plant Biology, American Society of Plant Biologists website, Ann Hirsch editor. Published online, March 2007: http://www.aspb.org/committees/women/pioneers.cfm#McClintock).