Kuroda, Chika (1884–1968)
Kuroda, Chika (1884–1968)
Japanese chemist. Born Mar 24, 1884, in Matsubara, Saga City, Japan; died Nov 8, 1968, in Fukuoka, Japan; Tohoku Imperial University, BS, 1916.
The 1st woman recipient of BS degree in Japan (1916), the 1st woman to gain a place in Japan's Tohoku Imperial University's chemistry department, the 1st woman to present a paper to Chemical Society of Japan (1918) and the 2nd woman in Japan to earn a doctorate (1929); studied natural pigments with Majima Toshiyuki; served as assistant professor at Tohoku (1916–18); studied with W.H. Perkin at Oxford University (1921–23); appointed a Tokyo Joshi Koto Shihan Gakko professor (1918–21); at Majima Laboratory, worked as a researcher for Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN, 1924–49); served as professor (1949–52), as honorary professor (from 1952) and as part-time lecturer (1952–63) at Ochanomizu Women's University; studied onion skin pigment which led to creation of Keruchin C, a drug for high blood pressure. Received Chemical Society of Japan's Majima Prize (1936), a Medal with Purple Ribbon (1959), an Order of the Precious Crown, Butterfly (1965) and a Third Grade Junior of the Court Rank (posthumously).