Mary C. Pangborn (August 13, 1907 – February 20, 2003) was an American scientist and writer of

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

Youth

Born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, Pangborn attended the Friends School.

Science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

author

Edgar Pangborn Edgar Pangborn (February 25, 1909 – February 1, 1976) was an American writer of mystery, historical, and science fiction. Biography Edgar Pangborn was born in New York City on February 25, 1909, to Harry Levi Pangborn, an attorney and dictio ...

was her younger brother. She graduated from high school at age 14, and entered

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smit ...

a year later.

Scientific work

At Smith, Pangborn received the Frances A. Hause prize for excellence in chemistry and was elected to

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

. She graduated with a PhD from Yale in 1931. In 1942, she discovered the biologically important lipid

cardiolipin Cardiolipin (IUPAC name 1,3-bis(''sn''-3’-phosphatidyl)-''sn''-glycerol, "''sn''" designating stereospecific numbering) is an important component of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it constitutes about 20% of the total lipid composition. ...

Fiction

Pangborn published at least one poem and, later in life, a number of pieces of

short fiction A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

in noted anthologies and in ''

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy fiction magazine, fantasy and science-fiction magazine, first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence E. Spivak, Lawrence Spiv ...

''. Her only novel, ''Friar Bacon's Head'', remained unpublished as of her death.

References

External links

* American science fiction writers American women short story writers Writers from Brooklyn 1907 births 2003 deaths Place of death missing 20th-century American short story writers American women science fiction and fantasy writers 20th-century American women writers Brooklyn Friends School alumni {{US-sf-writer-stub