Doris M. Curtis is an American paleontologist, stratigrapher and geologist who became the first female president of the Geological Society of America (GSA). She also significantly contributed to the Institution of Oceanography. Read more about the life and career of the famous scientist at brooklyn-name.
Education and the beginning of a career
Doris was born in January 1914 in Brooklyn, NY. Her father, Meyer Malkin, was a dentist, and her mother, Mary Berkowitz, was his secretary and assistant in the clinic. After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School, she studied at Brooklyn College. There, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in geology. Soon after, she also obtained the Master’s and Doctorate degrees at Columbia University. After completing her studies, she began her career in the oil industry and worked in independent companies in 1939. Doris got a job at the Shell Oil company in 1942. She started as a paleontologist and then became a stratigrapher and geologist. Curtis worked at Shell until 1979.
Then she continued her career in the academic field. Curtis started teaching and became a member of the Earth Science faculty at the University of Houston. After two years of lecturing, she resigned to work as an associate research geologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. There, she greatly influenced the study of biological facies.
Teaching activity
Then, another teaching experience at the University of Oklahoma, where Doris began teaching sedimentary geology. She became a favorite professor among students. It was unusual for a woman to hold a leading position in the sphere of geology at that time. However, with her passion and talent, she was able to provide excellent knowledge to her students.
Curtis was unwavering in many issues of social justice. Being a member of the League of Women Voters, she could become its president. Doris also headed the Environmental Quality Committee. She explained the ways how this organization can reduce their pollution and environmental impact. In 1975, Doris returned to Houston, where she was employed as a regular geologist for the local International Ventures Group. Curtis retired in 1979 at the age of 65 after spending another 19 years with Shell. All these years were full of persistent work and determination.
The Doris Malkin Curtis Medal
In early March 1991, Doris was invited to Indiana University to speak as a guest lecturer on geology. However, she had to finish her tour earlier and return to Houston because she felt the first signs of illness. She was later diagnosed with acute leukemia. On April 4th, she was taken to hospital but kept working until her passing in May 1991. The scientist was 77 years old. The cause of her death was pneumonia. She died at the same place where she started her career, namely MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Doris M. Curtis worked on the Gulf Coast for over 50 years. Even while combating leukemia, Doris continued to fulfill her duties as president of GSA. She displayed the same strength and perseverance she was always known for. Curtis helped create new concepts for understanding the geology of basins and investigating time-synchronous deltas. She was a highly respected geologist who conducted many sessions on various geological topics. During her career, she wrote over thirty articles on different subjects related to geology. In 2007, the Doris Malkin Curtis Medal was established in her honor. The award is presented to individuals who significantly contributed to the field of geology in the Gulf of Mexico.