Mary Stuart MacDougall (7 November 1885—1972) was an American

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

who studied

protozoology Protistology is a scientific discipline devoted to the study of protists, a highly diverse group of eukaryotic organisms. All eukaryotes apart from animals, plants and fungi are considered protists. Its field of study therefore overlaps with the ...

. She wrote ''Biology: The Science of Life''.

Education and career

MacDougall received her

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

from

Randolph–Macon College Randolph–Macon College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Ashland, Virginia. Founded in 1830, the college has an enrollment of more than 1,500 students. It is the second-oldest M ...

in 1912 before proceeding to get her

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

and finally, her Ph.D. from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, in 1925. In 1920, MacDougall would become the head of the

biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

department at

Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott College is a Private university, private Women's Colleges in the Southern United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergra ...

. She worked at Agnes Scott until 1952, when she retired. Every summer, for fourteen years, MacDougall was an instructor and researcher at the

Marine Biological Laboratory The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research and education in biological and environmental science. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution that was independent ...

. While at Agnes Scott, MacDougall studied

and

cytology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living an ...

. She studied the

polyploid Polyploidy is a condition in which the biological cell, cells of an organism have more than two paired sets of (Homologous chromosome, homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have Cell nucleus, nuclei (eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning ...

and

diploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Here ''sets of chromosomes'' refers to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, ...

of '' Chilodonella uncinata'', as well as mutation inheritances found in them. MacDougall also researched the

chromosome A chromosome is a package of DNA containing part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes, the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with nucleosome-forming packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells, the most import ...

s of ''plasmodium'',

avian malaria Avian malaria is a parasitic disease of birds, caused by parasite species belonging to the genera ''Plasmodium'' and '' Hemoproteus'' (phylum Apicomplexa, class Haemosporidia, family Plasmoiidae). The disease is transmitted by a dipteran vector in ...

and neuromotors of ''chlamydodon''.

Notable awards

Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated dis ...

, 1931

Publications

*MacDougall, Mary Stuart. "Another mutation of Chilodon uncinatus produced by ultraviolet radiation, with a description of its maturation processes." ''Journal of Experimental Biology.''. 1931: 58.1 (p. 229-236) *MacDougall, Mary Stuart. ''Biology: The Science of Life.'' New York: McGraw-Hill (1943). *MacDougall, Mary Stuart. "Cytological Observations on Gymnostomatous Ciliates, with a Description of the Maturation Phenomena in Diploid and Tetraploid Forms of Chilodon uncinatus." ''Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science.'' 1925: 69.3. *MacDougall, Mary Stuart
"The neuromotor apparatus of ''chlamydodon'' sp."
''Biological Bulletin''. 1928: 54.6 (p. 471-484). *MacDougall, Mary Stuart. ''Study of a Georgia hillside.'' Chicago: University of Chicago (1916).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacDougall, Mary Stuart 1885 births 1972 deaths Agnes Scott College faculty American microbiologists Columbia University alumni Randolph–Macon College alumni University of Chicago alumni American women zoologists American women microbiologists