Cynthia Hall (1922/3? - ?) was an American nuclear scientist and expert in poisons. She worked on the Manhattan Project at the Argonne National Laboratory, where she was one of the few female African American scientists assigned to the project.[1][2]
Cynthia Hall | |
|---|---|
 Photograph of Hall in 1949 | |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Manhattan Project |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear Chemistry, Poison |
| Institutions | Argonne National Laboratory Metallurgical Laboratory |
Career
editHall began her career as a researcher in a morgue where she analyzed the effects of poisons on humans.[1] In the 1940s, Hall began working at the Metallurgical Laboratory at the University of Chicago. In the role, she analyzed potential solutions for radiation poisoning.[2][1][3] She worked at the Argonne National Laboratory as a researcher for the 10-member analytical group of the Chemical Engineering Division during the Manhattan Project.[4]
Recognition
editIn 1949, age 26, Hall was featured in an Ebony magazine article titled "Atom Scientists: Ten Negro Scientists at Argonne Lab Help in Race to Harness Atomic Materials."[1]
In 2020, Hall was featured in a 'Women in Stem' series by the Science History Institute.[5] In 2021, Hall was recognized by the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History during Black History Month for "remarkable" contributions to nuclear sciences.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Atom Scientists: Ten Negro Scientists at Argonne Lab Help in Race to Harness Atomic Materials". Ebony. September 1949. pp. 26–28.
- ^ a b Howes, Ruth H.; Herzenberg, Caroline L. (2003). Their Day in the Sun: Women of the Manhattan Project. Temple University Press. ISBN 978-1-59213-192-1. OCLC 40964725.
- ^ Landrum, Shane (2005). "Black Atomic Scientists, Education, and Citizenship, 1945-1960" (PDF).
- ^ Steunenberg, Robert K.; Burris, Leslie (2000). From Test Tube to Pilot Plant (PDF). Argonne, Illinois: Argonne National Laboratory. p. 20. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Science History Institute [@SciHistoryOrg] (July 13, 2020). "In 1949, @EBONYMag published a series of profiles of Black scientists working at the Argonne Lab. They included "crack mathematician" Sylvanus A. Tyler, poisons expert Cynthia Hall, and more. See more photos on #Wikipedia! #BlackAndSTEM #WomenInScience http://ow.ly/SMfZ50AvnKq" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Instagram post from National Museum of Nuclear Science & History". www.instagram.com. February 19, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
Today we are honoring Cynthia Hall, a remarkable African American scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project at Argonne Lab as a poisons expert.