Championing the efforts of women in academia in 20th century

Throughout her career, Dorothy made remarkable scientific advancements and is celebrated for championing the efforts of women in academia in 20th century Australia. Hill received numerous awards and amassed a number of ‘firsts’: the first woman president of the Royal Society of Queensland, 1949; first woman professor, 1959, and first woman elected president of a professorial board, 1971, at an Australian university; first woman fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, 1956, and later its first female president, 1970; and first Australian woman fellow of the Royal Society, 1965. 

Born in Brisbane in 1907, Dorothy was recognised as an exceptionally bright and athletic student from an early age, and excelled in her studies of mathematics, chemistry, biology and the Classics while at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. She enjoyed sport—particularly athletics and hurdling—and at University went on to play for the Queensland Women’s Hockey Team. Upon graduating from Girls Grammar, Dorothy won an Entrance Scholarship to The University of Queensland (UQ), where she chose to study chemistry, and geology and took a particular interest in field work.  

Hill’s achievements as an undergraduate won her a Gold Medal from The University of Queensland, and she was also the recipient of the Foundation Travelling Scholarship to the Sedgwick Museum at the University of Cambridge. The experience of being at Cambridge enabled her to build professional relationships with her scientific peers that would be critical upon her return to Australia, as she remained informed of crucial international developments in science while conducting her own research at UQ. 

Between 1946 and 1951, Hill was officially appointed as lecturer at UQ, becoming a senior lecturer in 1952, reader in 1956, and then research professor in 1959—all the while conducting her own research on corals. Dorothy made significant contributions to the field of geology, mapping fossil successions and advancing scientific understanding of coral taxonomy.  

Professor Dorothy Hill’s contributions to society extended far beyond academia. Dorothy’s teaching methods were contemporary and set a new standard for teaching practices. Her support of aspiring scientists, many of whom were women, inspired generations of scholars to pursue excellence in their fields. She remained at UQ until her retirement in 1972 but continued working part-time at the University until 1987 as emeritus professor. And as secretary to the Great Barrier Reef Committee from 1945-1955, she helped establish the Heron Island Research Station.  

Dorothy also dedicated herself to Australia's war effort, putting her career on hold to take part in service during World War II. Dorothy began volunteering with the Brisbane Mine-Watching Organisation, before going on to join the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service in August, 1943. She was made a commander of the Order of the British empire (CBE) in 1971, she was named Queenslander of the Year in 1972, and she received the Companion of the Order (AC) award—the most prestigious honour conferred by the Order of Australia, in 1993.  

The Australian Academy of Science in 2002 instituted a monetary prize called the Dorothy Hill Medal to support resident women postdoctoral researchers studying Earth science in Australia. She became Queenslander of the Year in 1972, and she received the Companion of the Order (AC) award, the most prestigious honour conferred by the Order of Australia, in 1993.  

Dorothy’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of scientists, and her impact is commemorated through the Dorothy Hill Observatory at Girls Grammar’s Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre, near Imbil. The facility, used remotely by students at the Spring Hill campus, honours her contributions to science and advocacy for women in STEM fields. Dorothy Hill's remarkable life and biography are a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and dedication to advancing knowledge in the pursuit of scientific discovery.