Helen Irene Battle was born August 31, 1903 in London, Ontario and died June 17, 1994. She was the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in Marine Biology. She earned her degree through the University of Toronto in 1928. She joined the faculty of the University of Western Ontario and remained there from 1929 to 1967. Battle was a founding member of the Canadian Society of Zoologists and held the position of President from 1962-1963. She received the Canadian Centennial Medal in 1967 and was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Western and a Doctor of Science from Carleton University. She often stated her true love was teaching. In 1975 Professor Battle was selected as one of nineteen outstanding women scientists in Canada. Various student awards at the University of Western Ontario are named in Professor Battle’s honor.
Additional information about Helen Battle can be found at the following websites.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Battle
https://www.uwo.ca/sci/publications/flashpoint/current/battle.html
http://westernbugs.weebly.com/helen-battle-lectures.html
http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=400
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