Alice Leigh-Smith née Prebil (11 September 1907 - 3 December 1987), was a Croatian-born British nuclear physicist. She is best known for being the first woman in British history to receive a PhD in nuclear physics. Additionally, she is remembered for her pioneering research in cancer and for her attempts in the discovery of an elusive element, Element 85.
Early life Born on 11 September 1907 in Karlovac, Croatia, Alice Prebil was the daughter of Anton Prebil and his wife Draga née Luksic who were well-to-do landowners. After the end of World War I, they lost the land they had owned in Slovenia. Prebil completed her secondary school education in Yugoslavia in 1926 and went on to graduate in physics and mathematics at the University of Belgrade in 1928.
Career
In May 1933, Prebil began working at the Radium Institute in Paris under the tutelage of Marie Curie. Three years later, in 1935, at the age of 28, she would become the first woman in Great Britain to receive a PhD in nuclear physics. It is accepted that Leigh-Smith defended her thesis in London, however it is currently unknown from what university she was granted her degree.
Dr. Alice Leigh-Smith was also involved in the use of radioactive substances as a treatment for cancer. From 1936, she conducted cancer research as part of the British Empire cancer campaign. From 1938 to 1940, during the Second World War, Alice Leigh-Smith was at the University of Bern in Switzerland, where she continued her work. In January 1943, the anticipation of results from her study regarding the treatment of cancer with radioactive substances was published in the London Times. However, no results are available for current analysis.
In 1942, Leigh-Smith and a Swiss chemist, Walter Minder jointly announced the discovery of element 85 (now called astatine) in 1942. They proposed the name anglohelvetium for the new element, in order to honour both of their home countries- "anglo" for Leigh-Smith's England and "Helvetia" after the personification of Minder's country- Switzerland. This was Minder's second attempt at discovering the element. It was later proven that Walter Minder and Alice Leigh-Smith had not discovered element 85, after the failure of their results to be replicable.
Personal life
In 1933, at the age of 26, she married Philip Leigh-Smith, a British diplomat and son of the Arctic explorer Benjamin Leigh-Smith. Her husband's published comedy, "Ladies in Diplomacy" is purportedly based on her adventures.
She died in Mougins and was buried in Opatija, together with her husband.
Alice Leigh-Smith had one child with her husband Philip Leigh-Smith. Christopher Leigh-Smith was Alice's only child and is alive today, acting as an entrepreneur based in Switzerland.
Legacy
A portion of Alice Leigh-Smith's private archives are in the possession of the Curie Institute for the Musée Curie. The records are accessible by appointment only.
See also
List of women associated with Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie
References
External links Benjamin Leigh-Smith Arctic Explorer Image of Alice Leigh-Smith