Ursula Marvin was a rock star in the field of geology at a time when it was nearly impossible for women to pursue careers in science. Discover her story in this compelling nonfiction picture book biography.
At college in the 1940s, Ursula fell in love with geology. But when she asked her male professor to make the field her major, he tried to stop her, saying she should be learning how to cook. Ursula studied geology anyway, earning her master’s and PhD in the subject and soon worked with NASA to examine lunar rocks from every Apollo mission.
As a visionary and groundbreaking geologist, Ursula also had to be brave. She believed meteorites held the key to unlocking the origins of the solar system. To prove it, she travelled to Antarctica and became the first woman to search for meteorites there, facing fierce winds, the coldest climate on Earth, and ice that could have crushed her. But Ursula knew the danger was worth the risk and scientific exploration wasn’t just for men. She proved her theory, and that meteorites could be made up of pieces of planets or the moon.
Charting new territory as a scientist and helping create the field of planetary geology, Ursula reshaped our understanding of the universe.
