Dorothy Hill

Dorothy Hill AC CBE FAA FRS (September 10, 1909 – April 23, 1998) was an Australian geologist, the first female professor at an Australian university, and the first and only female president of the Australian Academy of Science.

Hill grew up in Brisbane and attended Cooparoo State School and Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School. Following high school she considered studying medicine and entering medical research, but at the time the University of Queensland did not offer a medical degree, and the Hill family could not afford to send Dorothy to Sydney. Fortunately, she won one of twenty entrance scholarships to the University of Queensland, where she decided to study science, in particular chemistry. She chose to study geology as an elective, and under the guidance of Professor H.C. Richards she graduated in 1928 with a First Class Honours degree in Geology, the University's Gold Medal for Outstanding Merit and a scholarship to study at the Sedgwick Museum at University of Cambridge.

Hill studied at Cambridge from 1930 to 1932 researching the Carboniferous corals of Scotland, and obtaining her PhD. She remained in England for seven years, publishing several important papers systemising the terminology for describing Rugose corals. When Hill returned to Australia she took on the huge task of mapping the limestone coral faunas of Australia, using them to outline wide-ranging stratigraphy, and producing papers on the coral faunas of all states except South Australia. This work on Palaeozoic corals became the worldwide standard.

During World War II Hill enlisted in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service. She worked 80-90 hours a week on cypher and coding of shipping orders.

In 1956 she became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. She served time on Academy committees, becoming Vice-President in 1969 and became the first and only female President in 1970, following the death of David Forbes Martyn. However she did not seek re-election.

References

• Campbell, K.S.W. and Jell, J.S. 1998, Dorothy Hill 1907-1997, AAS Biographical Memoirs