Rosa Smith Eigenmann
1858–1947 (age 89)
Ichthyologist
Biography
Rosa Smith Eigenmann followed a passion for natural history that carried her from the prairies of Indiana to laboratories at the University of Iowa, where she became one of the United States' earliest female ichthyologists and one of the first women admitted to scientific societies traditionally closed to her gender.
Her careful documentation of freshwater fish and her encouragement of young women in science created a lasting legacy that continues to be honored by those who visit Greenwood Memorial Park, where her dedication to discovery still inspires hope.