Genevieve Stearns (1892–1997) was a

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

, most recognized for her accomplishments in research and advocacy for nutrition, especially for women and children.

Early life and education

Stearns was born in Zumbrota,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, to parents Clayton H. Stearns and Clara (née Beierwalter) Stearns. She received her bachelor's degree in science from

Carleton College Carleton College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. Founded in 1866, it had 2,105 undergraduate students and 269 faculty members in fall 2016. The 200-acre main campus is between Northfield and the 800-acre Cowling ...

in 1912. She taught high school for six years, and then attended graduate school at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

and worked as a chemistry assistant while earning her master's degree. Her master's degree, completed in 1920, examined creatinuria, specifically focusing on the impact of diet and sex. In 1920, she worked as research associate in nutrition at the child welfare research station at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

. After five years as a research associate, she returned to school to earn her doctorate from

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in 1928. Her research focused on

metabolism Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cell ...

, and her dissertation was on the intermediary metabolism of cystine.

Career

She spent the majority of her career at the University of Iowa, and reached full professor in 1943. She studied the metabolism of Vitamins A and D and minerals, growth chemistry, bone and cartilage metabolic disturbance, and

rickets Rickets is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children, and is caused by either dietary deficiency or genetic causes. Symptoms include bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, and trouble sleeping. Complications may ...

. During a 1957 interview with Stearns, she described how she studied cohorts of children, over extended periods of time, to gain a better understanding of how to best feed children. After spending a few years as a professor of pediatrics, in 1950 she was selected by the World Health Organization to go to Europe for seminars about metabolism. After her retirement, she received the Fulbright Scholarship to work at the Women’s College of Ein Shams University in Cairo, Egypt from 1960 until 1961. She was selected as a fellow for the

American Institute of Nutrition The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is an American society for professional researchers and practitioners in the field of nutrition. ASN publishes four journals in the field of nutrition. It has been criticized for its financial ties to the ...

in 1965, and was a member of the Society of Biological Chemists and the American Chemical Society. She has garnered many awards for her accomplishments, including the Alumni Achievement Award from Carleton College, the Borden Award of the American Home Economics Association (1942) and the Borden Award of the American Institute of Nutrition (1946).

Selected publications

* * * * *

References

External links

Transcript of 1957 interview with Stearns
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stearns, Genevieve 1892 births 1997 deaths American women biochemists Carleton College alumni University of Illinois alumni University of Michigan alumni 20th-century American women scientists 20th-century American chemists University of Iowa faculty Chemists from Minnesota