Victoria’s Read

Born Coburg, Ont Aug 26, 1881. Died Ottawa, Ont  Apr 15, 1964.

Alice Evelyn Wilson struggled for almost 40 years to be recognized as a geologist while she made significant contributions to Canadian geology and was recognized as one of the top women scientists in the country. Although she had earned a PhD degree she was not called Dr. Wilson until 1945!

As a child, exploring with her two brothers during summer vacation, she was fascinated by fossils she could see outlined in limestone. This keen interest carried her to studies at the University of Toronto.

All of her professional career, from 1909 to 1945, Alice Wilson worked at the Geological Survey of Canada where she described fossils in papers and books and was originally hired as a temporary museum assistant, carrying out clerical duties. By 1913 after publishing a paper in one of the early Bulletins of the Museum, her real career began. By 1919, Alice Wilson earned the position as an assistant paleontologist. The Canadian Federation of University Women then offered her a scholarship for a doctoral degree but it took several years and pressure on members of parliament before Alice was granted educational leave. She earned her PhD from the University of Chicago in 1929 then returned to work at the Victoria Memorial Museum in Ottawa (now the Museum of Nature), but never received the traditional increase in salary offered to male graduates.

It was not acceptable for a young woman to go on expeditions and camp out with male colleagues so Alice was confined to the area around Ottawa for exploration.

Her specialty, for which she would rate at the top of the field, was the Paleozoic formations of eastern Ontario. She enjoyed  bringing geology to the public. She was especially interested to involving children in her field of study and wrote a book called The Earth Beneath Our Feet for younger readers.  

In 1935, she received the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her work. In 1937, she was the 1st woman to be elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She was also the 1st Canadian woman to be admitted to the American Geological Society. When she retired, at the age of 65,  five people were hired to replace her!

By Dawn Monroe.
famouscanadianwoman.ca