Mary Odile Cahoon OSB (July 21, 1929 – October 2, 2011) was an American Benedictine nun who was among the first women to do research in Antarctica.
Cahoon held a doctoral degree in Biology from the University of Toronto in Canada[4] (1961) having concentrated her studies in cellular physiology, biochemistry and cytology.
[3] She returned to the College of St. Scholastica to teach, and during the summers, Cahoon continued to do biological work at DePaul University, and at Argonne National Lab.
She was invited by McWhinnie to be part of a five-person research team, studying adaptation to cold temperatures in invertebrates and fish.
At The College of St. Scholastica, Cahoon served as department chair, academic dean, and senior vice president, and trustee.