In the first half of the twentieth century, discovering the secrets of life was a goal pursued by many scientists and researchers. There was a brilliant researcher at the forefront of this effort who brought with her considerable talents. She made important contributions to the study of the DNA molecule or deoxyribonucleic acid, and her name was Rosalind Franklin. Born on July 25, 1920 in Notting Hill, London to an influential British Jewish family, Rosalind Elsie Franklin may never have known the future influence her life would have on the advancement of women in scientific fields. Educated at St. Paul's Girls' School (one of the few schools for girls that included scientific study) and North London Collegiate School, she excelled in science from an early age. In 1938, he attended Newnham College, Cambridge to study chemistry as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos and won second class honors in his finals, which is the equivalent of today's degree. She didn't let the prevailing social standards in place for women at the time stop her from succeeding, and she later graduated with a Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge. After receiving his doctorate, he learned the chemical characterization techniques of X-ray crystallography and X-ray diffraction during his four years spent at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de L'Etat, located in Paris, France. These techniques reveal information about the structure, composition and physical properties of materials. She later found work as a research associate for John Randall at King's College, London, in 1951, where she applied this knowledge to her assignment studying the chemical structure of... middle of paper... ...field of study to have a bright future.Works Cited1. “An Odyssey in Science: People and Discoveries: Rosalind Franklin.” PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Network. 06 March 2011. .2. Maddox, Brenda. Rosalind Franklin: the Dark Lady of DNA. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print.3. "NPR: Rosalind Franklin: Dark Lady of DNA." NPR: National Public Radio: News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts: NPR. Network. 06 March 2011. .4. "Rosalind Elsie Franklin: Pioneering Molecular Biologist." San Diego Supercomputer Center. Network. 06 March 2011. .5. "Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)." Access Excellence at the National Health Museum. Network. 06 March. 2011. .