Mary Engle Pennington American bacteriological chemist and refrigeration engineer Date of Birth: 08.10.1872 Country: USA

Biography of Mary Engle Pennington

Mary Engle Pennington was an American chemist, bacteriologist, and refrigeration engineer. She was born on October 8, 1872, in Nashville, Tennessee. At a young age, Pennington developed an interest in chemistry and went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania in 1890. She graduated from the university in 1892 with a degree in chemistry, botany, and zoology.

However, as the university did not officially grant degrees to women at that time, Pennington received a certificate of qualification instead. In 1895, she defended her doctoral degree at the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a research scholar in the field of botany from 1895 to 1896.

From 1897 to 1899, Pennington conducted research on the chemistry of physiological processes at Yale University. In 1898, she accepted the position of director of the clinical laboratory at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She also worked as a researcher in the Department of Hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania from 1898 to 1901 and served as a bacteriologist for the Philadelphia Bureau of Health, where she played a vital role in improving the sanitation standards for milk processing.

In 1905, Pennington began working as a chemist and bacteriologist for the United States Department of Agriculture. Her director at the Bureau of Chemistry, renowned chemist Harvey Washington Wiley, offered her the opportunity to lead the newly established Food Research Laboratory. This laboratory was created to enforce the Pure Food and Drug Act, which was passed in 1906 to ensure the quality of food and medications.

In 1907, Pennington assumed the position as the head of the Food Research Laboratory. One of her major achievements was the development of standards for the safe processing of poultry intended for human consumption. She also led research on refrigerator cars and, during World War I, worked in Herbert Hoover's Food Administration.

Pennington's involvement in the development of refrigerator cars sparked interest among industrialists in the transportation and storage of perishable products, including both refrigerated transportation and household refrigerators.

In 1919, Pennington accepted a position with the private company 'American Balsa,' which produced insulation material for refrigeration systems. She left 'American Balsa' in 1922 to start her own consulting firm, which she managed until her retirement in 1952.

In 1923, Pennington founded the 'Household Refrigeration Bureau,' an organization aimed at educating consumers about the use of household refrigerators. During the 1920s, she received significant support from the National Association of Ice Industries, an organization that represented independent ice producers and distributors. With the association's support, Pennington published brochures on food preservation for home use.

In addition to her practical work, Pennington published extensively in scientific and medical journals. She was a member of the American Chemical Society, the Society of Biological Chemists, and The American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was also a member of the women's societies 'Sigma XI' and 'Kappa Kappa Gamma.'

In 1940, Mary Engle Pennington was awarded the 'Garvan-Olin Medal,' the highest honor given annually to women chemists by the American Chemical Society. She was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.