Agnes Sime Baxter
Encyclopedia
Agnes Sime Baxter (18 March 1870 – 9 March 1917) was a Canadian-born mathematician
. She studied at Dalhousie University
, receiving her BA in 1891, and her MA in 1892. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University
in 1895; her dissertation was “On Abelian integrals, a resume of Neumann’s ‘Abelsche Integrele’ with comments and applications."
in 1887. Her primary courses of study were mathematics
and mathematical physics
. Despite the relative lack of female scholars in these areas, Baxter received her bachelor's degree
in 1891. She received multiple awards at graduation, including the Sir William Young Medal for highest standing in mathematics and mathematical physics.
Baxter completed her master's degree
at Dalhousie in 1892.
From 1892 to 1894, Baxter held a fellowship
at Cornell University
in New York
. On the completion of her thesis, "On Abelian integrals, a resume of Neumann
’s ‘Abelsche Integrele’ with comments and applications," she became the second Canadian woman and the fourth woman on the North America
n continent to receive a Ph. D. in mathematics.
. The Baxter family had immigrated to Canada
from Scotland
. Her father, Robert Baxter, was manager of the Halifax Gas Light Company, having managed a Scottish electric light company before moving to Nova Scotia.
Agnes Baxter married Dr. Albert Ross Hill
on August 20, 1896. The marriage produced two daughters. Mrs. Ross Hill chose not to teach at the institutions where her husband was a professor, although Albert credited her with assisting him in his work.
Agnes Ross Hill died on March 9, 1917 in Columbia, Missouri
after protracted illness.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
. She studied at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, receiving her BA in 1891, and her MA in 1892. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1895; her dissertation was “On Abelian integrals, a resume of Neumann’s ‘Abelsche Integrele’ with comments and applications."
Academics
Baxter enrolled at Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in 1887. Her primary courses of study were mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
. Despite the relative lack of female scholars in these areas, Baxter received her bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1891. She received multiple awards at graduation, including the Sir William Young Medal for highest standing in mathematics and mathematical physics.
Baxter completed her master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at Dalhousie in 1892.
From 1892 to 1894, Baxter held a fellowship
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. On the completion of her thesis, "On Abelian integrals, a resume of Neumann
Neumann
Neumann may refer to:*Alfred Neumann, German writer*Alfred Neumann, East German politician*Bernd Neumann, German politician*Bernhard Neumann, German-born mathematician...
’s ‘Abelsche Integrele’ with comments and applications," she became the second Canadian woman and the fourth woman on the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n continent to receive a Ph. D. in mathematics.
Non-Academic Life
Agnes Sime Baxter was born on March 18, 1870 in Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The Baxter family had immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Her father, Robert Baxter, was manager of the Halifax Gas Light Company, having managed a Scottish electric light company before moving to Nova Scotia.
Agnes Baxter married Dr. Albert Ross Hill
Albert Ross Hill
Albert Ross Hill was a Canadian-born American educator and ninth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He was also Commissioner of the European Division of the American Red Cross...
on August 20, 1896. The marriage produced two daughters. Mrs. Ross Hill chose not to teach at the institutions where her husband was a professor, although Albert credited her with assisting him in his work.
Agnes Ross Hill died on March 9, 1917 in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
after protracted illness.
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- In Memoriam – Dalhousie Gazette, June 15, 1917