ERNEST EVERETT JUST

Ernest Everett Just was a biologist who received the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy magna cum laude from the University of Chicago in experimental embryology, with a thesis on the mechanics of fertilization. Contributions on the physiology of development were the legacy of Dr. Just s research. His work on the subjects of fertilization, experimental parthenogenesis, hydration, cell division, dehydration in living cells, the effect of ultra violet rays in increasing chromosome number in animals and in altering the organization of the egg with special reference to polarity. In 1924, Dr. Just was selected from among the biologists of the world by a group of German biologist to contribute to a monograph on fertilization, one of a series of monographs by specialists working on fundamental problems of the function and structure of the cell.

ROGER ARLINER YOUNG

Roger Arliner Young was interested in studying the effects of direct and indirect radiation on sea urchin eggs. Ms. Young was the first black woman to receive a doctoral degree in zoology in 1940. Although she was successful at both research and teaching, the burdens of both areas increased for Young in the 1930's. Under the effort of a heavy teaching load and few financial resources, she began to flounder in her career. Dr. Young lost her teaching position at Howard University in 1935 but rallied, publishing four papers between 1935-1938 and completed her doctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania in 1940, under the direction of L.V. Heilbrunn. From 1940 to 1947, Dr. Young taught at the North Carolina College for Negroes and at Shaw University, North Carolina. During the 1950s, she taught at several Black colleges in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Unfortunately, the efforts of continuing personal and professional difficulties built during the 1960's. Few black women in the United States had opportunity to engage in scientific research before World War II. Due to barriers in education, racial, and sexual barriers, few African American women produced work that would allow them to function as a scientist. Roger Arliner Young had few of the benefits to help advance her research and teaching career.