Jacoba Hol (21 September 1886 – 15 October 1964) was a Dutch physical geographer. In 1945, she was appointed professor of

physical geography Physical geography (also known as physiography) is one of the three main branches of geography. Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, h ...

at the Geographic Institute at

Utrecht University Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public university, public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of ...

. This made her the first female 'normal' professor in the Netherlands.

Biography

Jacoba Brigitta Louisa Hol was born in

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

on 21 September 1886. She was the

illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...

daughter of Maria Theresa Koene and the composer Richard Hol.Hautvast, Suzanne, Guide to Science: prof. Jacoba Hol (1886 - 1964), physical geography (Nijmegen 2002), 9. In November 1907, Hol enrolled in the study of mathematics and physics at the University of Utrecht, where she graduated in 1912. Under the supervision of the physical geographer, Karl Oestreich, she wrote her dissertation on the

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...

of the

Ardennes The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...

. From 1915, she worked as Oestreich's assistant at the geographic institute at Utrecht University. Among other things, she looked into the practical organization of the educational excursions for students. In 1916, Hol graduated ''

cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

'' with her dissertation, ''Beiträge zur Hydrographie der Ardennen''. While writing it, she started a job as a mathematics and physics teacher at a secondary school, and was appointed as a physical geography and geology teacher at the Katholieke Leergangen in

Tilburg Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...

. In 1940, after 25 years of teaching, she was appointed lecturer and was officially authorized to give lectures. Hol was appointed professor in 1945, succeeding Oestreich. This made her the first female 'normal' professor in the Netherlands.Hautvast, p. 26 In 1958, she retired at the age of almost 72 and was succeeded by Jan Zonneveld. Hol died in Meerssen on 15 October 1964.

Selected works

* ''Beiträge zur Hydrographie der Ardennen'', 1916 * ''Das Problem der Talmäander. Borntraeger'', 1938 * ''Meanders, hun beteekenis en ontstaan''. Brill, 1939 * ''Een morfologisch probleem der Ardennen-schiervlakte'', 1945 * ''Geomorfologie''. Rijksuniversiteit, Geographisch Institut, 1948 * ''La genèse de la Basse-Néerlande et le désastre du 1er février'', 1953 * ''Vijftig jaren geomorfologie''. Dekker, 1957 * ''Quelques problèmes sur la formation des vallées''. Geographisch Instituut, 1957 * ''De geomorfologische landschappen van Nederland''. Erven JJ Tijl, 1959

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Slide set: [Jacoba Hol geographical slides: series J] (lecture: privately made, 15 slides, 1933 - 1941)

Slide set: [Jacoba Hol geographical slides: series M] (lecture: privately made, 16 slides, 1914 - 1924)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hol, Jacoba 1886 births 1964 deaths Scientists from Antwerp Dutch geographers Physical geographers Women geographers 20th-century Dutch writers 20th-century Dutch women writers Dutch science writers 20th-century Dutch geographers