[3] Additionally, Chase was recognized for her work as an agrostologist with numerous awards, including a Certificate of Merit issued by the Botanical Society of America in 1956.

[2] Chase was also an active suffragist and took part in demonstrations organized by the Silent Sentinels, a group established by members of the National Woman's Party.

[5] Mary Agnes Meara was born on April 29 1869, in rural Iroquois County, Illinois but moved to Chicago several years later following the death by lynching[6] of her father (an Irish railway worker named Martin John Meara, accused of killing his 11 year old son), at which point the family changed their last name to Merrill.

This request was denied by a Smithsonian official who responded, "I doubt the advisability of engaging the services of a woman for the purpose [of the expedition].

"[11] While “Chase's power within her institution was at times undermined by her own political activities,” she believed it was essential to address gender discrimination if it was negatively impacting a woman's ability to achieve success both socially and professionally.

[5] Chase was forced to disregard the potential damage that her support for women's rights could have on her career as a respected agrostologist in order to succeed as a legitimate advocate for the cause.

[citation needed] As an active suffragist, Mary Agnes Chase took part in a series of demonstrations led by the Silent Sentinels, members of the National Woman's Party (NWP) who wanted President Wilson to listen to what women had to say about the vote.

"[7] The same year that her First Book of Grasses was published, Chase conducted botanical research abroad at various herbaria, traveling across western Europe.

[8] Her trips to Brazil and thousands of specimens retrieved earned her the affectionate nickname of "Uncle Sam's chief woman explorer of the USDA".

[14] In 1935 Chase and Hitchcock published another book, titled Manual of the Grasses of the United States which, due to its popularity, was reprinted eight times by 1938.

"[3] To help support women in their scientific research, Chase traveled to South America, Canada and the Philippines, acting as “a liberal and supportive mentor, one who [encouraged] independence and [needed] little control over her students,” and also opened up her home to young women in need of a place to stay while completing their studies in the United States.