“Courage is like – it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming.” – Marie M. Daly
Dr. Marie M. Daly was a biochemist from Queens, NY. She experienced financial struggles throughout her studies and due to this reason, she chose to attend college close to home. She earned a B.S. and an M.S. in chemistry and despite racial and gender biases, became the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States. Daly made substantial contributions in the field of biochemistry, and in addition to research, she was committed to providing opportunities for minority students interested in attending medical schools and graduate programs. She established a scholarship for minority students pursuing science majors at Queens College in 1988 in honor of her father, who was unable to pursue a career in science due to the lack of opportunities available to him. In 1999, The National Technical Association recognized her as one of the top 50 women in Science, Engineering, and Technology.