Ida Henrietta Hyde: Iowa Time Machine September 8, 1857

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On September 8, 1857, physiologist and the first woman to conduct research at Harvard Medical School, Ida Henrietta Hyde, was born in Davenport. A pioneering scientist who developed a micro-electrode, the glass-ceiling-shattering woman stands out for numerous research accomplishments.

Born the oldest of four children to German immigrants in Davenport, Meyer Hyde struggled to provide for his family as a traveling salesman. Opting to try to improve the family’s fortunes in Chicago, the Hydes relocated only to have their home destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

To help the family recover, the 14-year-old Ida took a job as a milliner’s apprentice before she eventually enrolled in night classes at the Chicago Athenaeum. After passing entrance exams at the College Preparatory School, Ida Hyde enrolled at the University of Illinois at the age of 24. Graduating with a degree in education, she went on to teach in the Chicago Public School System for 7 years.

After enrolling at Cornell University and then atBryn Mawr to continue her studies in biology, she went on to have a stunning academic career. Earning a PhD at Heidelberg University in her parents’ native Germany, she pursued research fellowships and professorships that took her around the globe. #Iowa #OTD #History #Physiology #Science