Mavis Freeman (scientist)

Mavis Freeman
Mavis Freeman
	Freeman in 1940
Born	Mavis Louisa Freeman; 30 January 1907; Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Died	1992 (aged 84–85); Malvern, Victoria, Australia
Alma mater	University of Melbourne
Awards	Victorian Women Graduates' Association Travelling Fellowship, 1934
	Scientific career
Institutions	Walter and Eliza Hall Institute; Second Australian Military Hospital, Palestine

Mavis Louisa Freeman (30 January 1907 – 1992) was an Australian bacteriologist and biochemist. She assisted Macfarlane Burnet in identifying the source of Q fever.

Early life and education

Mavis Louisa Freeman was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 30 January 1907 to Louisa (née Lutzen) and Harry Stanley Freeman.^[1] She completed her primary education at Esperance Girls' School, Brighton where she was dux of classes III and IV.^[2]^[3] She then attended Firbank Girls' Grammar School where she was dux of the school in 1924.^[4] On leaving school she won a scholarship to Trinity College^[5] at the University of Melbourne from which she graduated with a BSc in 1928.^[6]

Career

Freeman's first job was at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute where she was employed as a research fellow. Her work included studying snake venoms with Charles Kellaway and proteins with biochemist H. F. Holden.^[7]

In 1934 she won the Victorian Women Graduates' Association Travelling Scholarship and went to London to continue her studies at the Lister Institute.^[8] She returned to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and, in 1939, assisted Macfarlane Burnet in the discovery of the source of Q fever.^[9]

In World War II she was appointed as pathologist to the Second Australian Hospital, A.I.F. in Palestine and was the only woman to serve overseas, other than nurses and masseuses.^[10]^[11]

Freeman returned to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute after the war but resigned in 1948 and moved to Adelaide to work at the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Research.^[12] She completed an MSc at the University of Melbourne in 1950.^[13]^[14]

Freeman died in Malvern, Victoria in 1992.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b "Death certificate: Mavis Louisa Freeman". Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
^ "School Speech Days". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 21, 967. Victoria, Australia. 22 December 1916. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Esperance Girls' School". Brighton Southern Cross. Victoria, Australia. 5 January 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Firbank Grammar School". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 447. Victoria, Australia. 13 December 1924. p. 19. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Trinity College". The Age. No. 21, 741. Victoria, Australia. 6 December 1924. p. 23. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "The University". The Age. No. 22, 790. Victoria, Australia. 23 April 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Fellowship Awarded". The Age. No. 24, 631. Victoria, Australia. 23 March 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Women in the world", The Australian Woman's Mirror, 10 (21), The Bulletin Newspaper, 17 April 1934, retrieved 2 October 2022
^ "Q Disease's Days are Numbered: 'G-Men' Hard On Trail". The Herald. No. 19, 260. Victoria, Australia. 8 February 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Girl Scientist to Serve Oversea With 2nd A.I.F." The Herald. No. 19, 578. Victoria, Australia. 14 February 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Let's Talk of Interesting People". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 8, no. 16. Australia. 21 September 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Freeman, Mavis Louisa". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
^ Freeman, Mavis (1950), Work submitted for the degree of Master of Science, retrieved 2 October 2022
^ "Record Sept. Roll At Graduation Today". The Herald. No. 22, 865. Victoria, Australia. 4 September 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[:1-1] "Death certificate: Mavis Louisa Freeman". Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

[2] "School Speech Days". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 21, 967. Victoria, Australia. 22 December 1916. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[3] "Esperance Girls' School". Brighton Southern Cross. Victoria, Australia. 5 January 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[4] "Firbank Grammar School". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 447. Victoria, Australia. 13 December 1924. p. 19. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[5] "Trinity College". The Age. No. 21, 741. Victoria, Australia. 6 December 1924. p. 23. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[6] "The University". The Age. No. 22, 790. Victoria, Australia. 23 April 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[7] "Fellowship Awarded". The Age. No. 24, 631. Victoria, Australia. 23 March 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[8] "Women in the world", The Australian Woman's Mirror, 10 (21), The Bulletin Newspaper, 17 April 1934, retrieved 2 October 2022

[9] "Q Disease's Days are Numbered: 'G-Men' Hard On Trail". The Herald. No. 19, 260. Victoria, Australia. 8 February 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[10] "Girl Scientist to Serve Oversea With 2nd A.I.F." The Herald. No. 19, 578. Victoria, Australia. 14 February 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[11] "Let's Talk of Interesting People". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 8, no. 16. Australia. 21 September 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

[:0-12] "Freeman, Mavis Louisa". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

[13] Freeman, Mavis (1950), Work submitted for the degree of Master of Science, retrieved 2 October 2022

[14] "Record Sept. Roll At Graduation Today". The Herald. No. 22, 865. Victoria, Australia. 4 September 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.

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