RIKEN through the century

摘要

Born in 1884 in Kyushu, Chika Kuroda studied science and became a teacher. When Tohoku University opened its doors to female students in 1913, for the first time in Japan, she joined the chemistry department. In 1916, Kuroda became the first woman in the country to receive a bachelor of science. She joined Riko Majima's organic chemistry laboratory at RIKEN in 1924, where she determined the molecular structure of the purple pigment in grom-wells. She later characterized the natural red pigment in safflowers and extracted the yellow crystals in onion peel, which led to the development of a treatment for high blood pressure. Kuroda retired as a professor at Ochanomizu Women's University in 1952 and received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1959 for her accomplishments.