Background
Creighton, Harriet Baldwin was born on June 27, 1909 in Delavan, Illinois, United States. Daughter of Cyrus Murray and Bertha (Baldwin) Creighton.
Creighton, Harriet Baldwin was born on June 27, 1909 in Delavan, Illinois, United States. Daughter of Cyrus Murray and Bertha (Baldwin) Creighton.
Born in Delavan, Illinois, Creighton graduated from Wellesley College in 1929, and went on to complete her Doctor of Philosophy at Cornell University in 1933.
During her time at Cornell she worked in the field of maize cytogenetics with Barbara McClintock, the pair published a very influential paper in 1931 in which they described chromosomal crossover for the first time. This paper, part of her Doctor of Philosophy research, provided key evidence that chromosomes carried and exchanged genetic information and hence that "genes" for physical traits are carried on chromosomes. Barbara McClintock guided her Doctor of Philosophy research.
After completing her Doctor of Philosophy she taught at Cornell University and Connecticut College, and then returned to Wellesley where she taught until her retirement in 1974.
Taking time from her career to serve in the United States. Navy during World World War World War II
Lecturers on Genetics Senior Citizens Group, Wellesley, since 1934, Study Groups and Garden Clubs, 1994. Lieutenant Commander United States Navy, 1943-1946. Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Member Botanical Society of America (president 1956), Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa.