==Life==
==Life==
Margaret (“Dot”) Foster was born in [[Chicago, Illinois]], in 1895. Her father was the Rev. James Edward Foster and her mother was Minnie (McAuley) Foster. She had a younger brother, Robert. Her father died in 1910, at which point the family moved to [[Jacksonville, Illinois]], home of [[Illinois College]]. She graduated from Illinois College in 1918, earned a [[Master of Science]] at [[George Washington University]] in 1926, and a [[PhD]] from [[American University]] in 1936.<ref name=”am” /> Illinois College awarded her an [[honorary degree|honorary doctorate]] in 1956.<ref name = “ChemView” />
Margaret (“Dot”) Foster was born in [[Chicago, Illinois]], in 1895. Her father was the Rev. James Edward Foster and her mother was Minnie (McAuley) Foster. She had a younger brother, Robert. Her father died in 1910, at which point the family moved to [[Jacksonville, Illinois]], home of [[Illinois College]]. She graduated from Illinois College in 1918, earned a [[Master of Science]] at [[George Washington University]] in 1926, and a [[PhD]] from [[American University]] in 1936.<ref name=”am”/> Illinois College awarded her an [[honorary degree|honorary doctorate]] in 1956.<ref name=”ChemView”/>
Beginning in 1918, she worked on the [[United States Geological Survey]], developing ways to detect minerals within naturally occurring [[bodies of water]].<ref name=DayInSun>{{cite book|publisher=Temple University Press|date=2003|title=Their Day in the Sun: Women of the Manhattan Project|author= Ruth H. Howes, Caroline L. Herzenberg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ys0N4rFgt6UC&dq=Margaret+Foster+Manhattan+Project&pg=PA91|pages=91–2|isbn=9781592131921}}</ref> Methods pioneered by her include those for quantifying [[manganese]], [[boron]], [[fluoride]], and [[sulfate]], devised in connection with earning her post-baccalaureate degrees.<ref name = ChemView>Goedecke, Catharina, “[https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/11275674/50th_Anniversary_Death_of_Margaret_D__Foster.html 50th Anniversary: Death of Margaret D. Foster]” ChemistryViews, 2020.11.05.</ref>
1918 she worked on the [[United States Geological Survey]], developing ways to detect minerals within naturally occurring [[bodies of water]].<ref name=DayInSun>{{cite book|publisher=Temple University Press|date=2003|title=Their Day in the Sun: Women of the Manhattan Project|author= Ruth H. Howes, Caroline L. Herzenberg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ys0N4rFgt6UC&dq=Margaret+Foster+Manhattan+Project&pg=PA91|pages=91–2|isbn=9781592131921}}</ref> Methods pioneered by her include those for quantifying [[manganese]], [[boron]], [[fluoride]], and [[sulfate]], devised in connection with earning her post-baccalaureate degrees.<ref name=ChemView>Goedecke, Catharina, “[https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/11275674/50th_Anniversary_Death_of_Margaret_D__Foster.html 50th Anniversary: Death of Margaret D. Foster]” ChemistryViews, 2020.11.05.</ref>
In 1942, she transferred to the Chemistry and Physics Section of the USGS, where she worked under Roger C. Wells.<ref name = “ChemView” /> In this capacity, she worked on the [[Manhattan Project]], developing two new techniques of quantitative analysis, one for [[uranium]] and one for [[thorium]],<ref name=Smithsonian>{{cite web|url=https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_287607|title=Margaret D. Foster (1895-1970)|first1=Margaret|last1=Foster|date=1 January 1919|publisher=}}</ref> as well as two new ways to separate the two elements.<ref name=DayInSun /> Upon her return to the Geological Survey after the war, she researched the chemistry of [[Clay mineral|clay minerals]] and [[Mica|micas]].<ref name=DayInSun /> She retired in March 1965.<ref name=”am”>{{cite journal |last=Fahey |first=Joseph J. |date=March–April 1971 |title=Memorial of Margaret D. Foster |url=http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM56/AM56_686.pdf |journal=[[American Mineralogist|The American Mineralogist]] |volume=56 |pages=686–690 |accessdate=28 March 2014}}</ref> Over the course of her career, she authored dozens of [[Scientific literature|scientific papers]], alone or with others.<ref name = “am” />
In 1942, she transferred to the Chemistry and Physics Section of the USGS, where she worked under Roger C. Wells.<ref name=”ChemView” /> In this capacity, she worked on the [[Manhattan Project]], developing two new techniques of quantitative analysis, one for [[uranium]] and one for [[thorium]],<ref name=Smithsonian>{{cite web|url=https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_287607|title=Margaret D. Foster (1895-1970)|first1=Margaret|last1=Foster|date=1 January 1919|publisher=}}</ref> as well as two new ways to separate the two elements.<ref name=DayInSun /> Upon her return to the Geological Survey after the war, she researched the chemistry of [[Clay mineral|clay minerals]] and [[Mica|micas]].<ref name=DayInSun /> She retired in March 1965.<ref name=”am”>{{cite journal |last=Fahey |first=Joseph J. |date=March–April 1971 |title=Memorial of Margaret D. Foster |url=http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM56/AM56_686.pdf |journal=[[American Mineralogist|The American Mineralogist]] |volume=56 |pages=686–690 |accessdate=28 March 2014}}</ref> Over the course of her career, she authored dozens of [[Scientific literature|scientific papers]], alone or with others.<ref name=”am” />
She died at [[Holy Cross Hospital (Silver Spring)|Holy Cross Hospital]] in [[Silver Spring, Maryland]].<ref name=”am” />
She died at [[Holy Cross Hospital (Silver Spring)|Holy Cross Hospital]] in [[Silver Spring, Maryland]].<ref name=”am”/>
==Publications==
==Publications==
American chemist (1895–1970)
Margaret Dorothy Foster (March 4, 1895 – November 5, 1970) was an American chemist. She worked for the United States Geological Survey, and was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project. She wrote dozens of research papers on the chemistry of the natural world and assaying methods.
Margaret (“Dot”) Foster was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1895. Her father was the Rev. James Edward Foster and her mother was Minnie (McAuley) Foster. She had a younger brother, Robert. Her father died in 1910, at which point the family moved to Jacksonville, Illinois, home of Illinois College. She graduated from Illinois College in 1918, earned a Master of Science at George Washington University in 1926, and a PhD from American University in 1936.[1] Illinois College awarded her an honorary doctorate in 1956.[2]
From 1918 she worked on the United States Geological Survey, developing ways to detect minerals within naturally occurring bodies of water.[3] Methods pioneered by her include those for quantifying manganese, boron, fluoride, and sulfate, devised in connection with earning her post-baccalaureate degrees.[2]
In 1942, during the Second World War, she transferred to the Chemistry and Physics Section of the USGS, where she worked under Roger C. Wells.[2] In this capacity, she worked on the Manhattan Project, developing two new techniques of quantitative analysis, one for uranium and one for thorium,[4] as well as two new ways to separate the two elements.[3] Upon her return to the Geological Survey after the war, she researched the chemistry of clay minerals and micas.[3] She retired in March 1965.[1] Over the course of her career, she authored dozens of scientific papers, alone or with others.[1]
She died at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland.[1]
