#tbt honoring Marie M. Daly (1921 – 2003)
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Marie Daly was the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States. Marie’s groundbreaking work led to our understanding of how cholesterol and clogged arteries are related, and how food and diet influence heart health and the circulatory system.
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Growing up, Marie’s family valued education and her drive helped her earn her B.S. and M.S. in chemistry at Queens College before completing her Ph.D. at Columbia University in the City of New York. Marie’s father emigrated from the West Indies and enrolled at Cornell University but was forced to quit college when he was unable to afford it, and thus his dreams of studying chemistry were cut short. However, Marie’s family continued to believe that education was powerful.
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Marie’s career was also important in inspiring and advocating for other students of color interested in graduate science programs. In 1988, Marie created a scholarship at Queens College to honor her father that awards scholarships to people of color interested in studying chemistry or physics.