Maria Matilda Ogilvie Gordon (1864-1939): A Scottish researcher in the Alps

Abstract

Maria Ogilvie Gordon was one of the most proilfic researchers ofthe late nineteenth century. Born and bred in Scotland she was the first women to obtain a D.Sc from the University of London and a Ph.D from Munich University. Much of her research was in the Tyrol in the high Alps between Austria and Italy. By 1900 she had published over 19 papers, many of them in German. However it was not until later in life that she received recognition for her work. This book chapter explores her background, context, and the work she undertook and the contribution she made to the advancement of structural geology and palaeontology in the Alps.