Dorothy May Powelson (August 8, 1916 – 1988) was an American microbiologist and associate professor at Purdue University.
[2] She was considered one of the top-ranking women in science in the United States, and taught advanced laboratory courses.
[10] During her time at Purdue, she received grants from the Atomic Energy commission for a study on the physiology of hydrogen bacteria,[11][12] the U.S. Public Health service for a project on mycoplasma-infected cells,[13] and the American Cancer Society.
They were interested in creating a "model culture" that reproduced in a predictable, repeatable way to facilitate their study.
[16] A different project involved studying myxospores, specifically cell membrane properties of Myxococcus Xanthus.
She introduced them to the field of bacteriology and inspired them to pursue higher education and research work.
[25] One of her notable students is Rita Colwell, microbiologist and director of the National Science Foundation.