This website was created by Mary Pelletier, Shayla Hnatiw, Duaa Farooqui, and Ridhima Gagneja as a capstone project for AUBIO 411 at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus to highlight a Marginalized Biologist. We hope you enjoy learning about Dr. Moore.
While the modern scientific community is increasingly recognizing the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion, this was not always the case. The lasting effects of this discrimination are dangerous for our understanding of scientific history and who receives credit for certain works. When only a specific demographic is highlighted (typically Western, white males), it creates barriers by discouraging other groups, as they remain underrepresented in STEM (scientific, technology, engineering, and mathematics) communities. It has also introduced a closed-minded, one-perspective approach to scientific inquiry, which can be seen in the underrepresentation of research on women and the tendency for male-based findings to be applied universally. Additionally, it creates a trust gap between science and society. Individuals are less willing to accept research findings when the community is ultimately built on a shaky foundation of prejudice. This can slow the development of new discoveries, as disregarding original sources that hold valuable information limits access to necessary knowledge. There is also a risk that marginalized groups will be historically undermined in their contributions. These groups may be marginalized due to sex, race, culture, or beliefs. In an effort to shed light on a marginalized individual, we created this platform to challenge those narratives, celebrate overlooked pioneers, and redefine what true transparency looks like in science.
Ruth Ella Moore received her Ph.D. in Bacteriology in 1933
She was the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in a natural science in the US (Johnson-Thompson 2025)
(Johnson-Thompson 2025)
Moore was born on May 19th, 1903, in Columbus, Ohio, around 40 years after Emancipation. She was the youngest of three siblings. Her father worked in the city tax office, and her mother worked as an accomplished seamstress who graduated from the Columbus State College of Art and Design. Her mother often pushed her to excel in her academic work. Moore focused on her academic and teaching career throughout her life, never getting married or having children. Moore died on July 19th, 1994, at the age of 91 due to heart ailments. She died at the National Lutheran Home for the Aged in Rockville.
(Johnson-Thompson 2025)
Growing up in Ohio, Moore attended the segregated and unequally resourced schools. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at Ohio State University. This university was one of the only non-Black universities at the time that accepted African Americans. Although allowing her enrollment, segregation was very prominent throughout the campus, limiting her ability to fully engage in academic, social, and personal aspects of university life. Despite this, during her education, Moore was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which likely provided her lasting support. According to the Ohio State University, she received her Bachelor's in Microbiology in 1926 and her Master's in Bacteriology in 1927. After earning these degrees, she went on to teach at Tennessee State College for two years in fields unrelated to her interest in biology. In 1929, she enrolled once again at Ohio State University, this time to pursue a Ph.D. in Bacteriology, which she received in 1933. By 1935, only 5 total Ph.D.s had been granted in the OSU’s History of the Bacteriology Department. Moore would have been among the first 5 graduates, and possibly the first woman ever to receive a Ph.D, however there was no record of this. from the OSU Bacteriology Department. The listing of OSU Ph.D. bacteriology recipients from 1920 to 1934 lists only three graduates, excluding Moore's name. It can be assumed that Moore was the first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from OSU and the fourth American woman to receive a Ph.D. in bacteriology from any U.S. university.
Moore's master's thesis: A study of some factors which modify the determination of the phenol coefficient
Moore's doctorate thesis: Part I. Studies on dissociation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Part II. A New Method of Concentration of the Tubercle Bacilli as Applied to Sputum and Urine Examinations
(Johnson-Thompson 2025)
Ruth Ella Moore's identity extended far beyond her scientific research, reflecting her dynamic life. Among her lesser-known but notable talents was her ability to design and create her own garments (Black... 2019). Several of these pieces are featured in The Sewer's Art: Quality, Fashion, and Economy, an exhibition at Ohio State University that presents sewing not only as a skill, but as a form of historical and artistic expression. Through this exhibit, Ohio State University highlights both Moore's scientific achievements and her creative craftsmanship, offering a greater representation of her life (The Sewer's... 2009). Her inclusion works as a time capsule, preserving aspects of her personal and cultural identity. At the same time, it implicitly critiques the historical marginalization of Black women's creative labour, which, like their scientific contributions, has often been overlooked or excluded from recognized "fine art" spaces. Moore's sewing reflects self-sufficiency, precision, and personal expression, reinforcing that she was not only a pioneering scientist but also a skilled artisan with a rich identity.
"I have lived a life of peace and enjoyment, loving my family, friends, church and all."
- Ruth Ella Moore, from her obituary (1994) (Ruth... [date unknown])
