Background
Widder was born on June 11, 1951 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States; the daughter of David Vernon and Vera Adela (Ames) Widder.
Widder was born on June 11, 1951 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States; the daughter of David Vernon and Vera Adela (Ames) Widder.
Widder graduated with an honorary degree of Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tufts University in 1973. Four years later she received a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry and a Doctor of Philosophy in Neurobiology in 1982 from the University of California in Santa Barbara.
Widder began his career as a laboratory assistant of phycology at Field Station of Environmental Sciences of the University of Massachusetts in 1968 and held it for a year. In 1973, Edith became a research associate at National Institutes of Health Resource Laboratory of Electron Probe Microanalysis at Harvard University of Medical School, Boston, where she worked until 1975.
Edith was an associate researcher at Office of Naval Research Bioluminescence progressive at the University California in Santa Barbara from 1977 to 1983. Then in 1983 Widder held the position of a postdoctoral research biologist at the same office. Two years later she took a position of an assistant research biologist and co-principal investigator at Marine Science Institute and Neuroscience Research Institute. Widder desided to take a position of a scientific consultant at Dynamics Technology, Inc., where she worked from 1987 to 1989.
Edith held several positions at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, including assistant scientist, principal investigator in 1989-1991, associate scientist, principal investigator from 1991 to 1993, acting division director between 1993-1994 and a senior scientist, principal investigator in 1993-2005. Since 1991 Edith was a professor of biological science at Florida Institute of Technology. She has been a president and senior scientist of Ocean Research & Conservation Association since 2005.
Widder is a member of American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, American Society of Zoologists, Society of Neuroscience, Society of Photo-Optical and Instrumentation Engineers, International Society of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, American Academy of Underwater Sciences and Explorers Club.
On February 9, 1972 Edith Widder married David Charles Smith.