Edward Bouchet
Physicist and educator, first Black PhD
Born
Died
1918
107 years ago — 66 years old
Category
Scientists & Innovators
Country
United States
Links & References
Graduated from Yale University in 1874, becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate in a science field. Bouchet's dissertation focused on the conduction of electricity through gases. He taught physics and chemistry for several years at various institutions, including the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. His career largely focused on education and mentorship in the sciences, aiming to increase access to education for African Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
First African American to earn a PhD in physics
Dissertation on conduction of electricity through gases
Teaching at the Institute for Colored Youth
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