First female instructor at MIT

Around the start of the 1876–77 academic year, on or about October 1, 1876, MIT opened its new laboratory for sanitary chemistry, and Ellen Swallow Richards was appointed an instructor there, becoming the first female faculty member at MIT.[2][4][11][13] Having already broken ground as its first woman student and graduate, she now entered the ranks of the teaching staff.

This appointment was extraordinary in the era’s academic culture. Women were rarely, if ever, hired to teach science at major universities or technical schools. By choosing Richards as an instructor, MIT acknowledged her expertise in chemistry and her pioneering work in applying chemical analysis to water, air, and household environments.[11][13]

As an instructor in sanitary chemistry, she helped shape a new field that linked scientific research to public health and environmental protection.[1][11] Her teaching and laboratory supervision trained both male and female students in rigorous methods of water analysis and pollution assessment, setting standards that influenced later public health laboratories.[1][11]

The precise day of her appointment is not recorded, but the 1876 academic year is well documented. Marking this date highlights her transition from student to faculty, a critical inflection point in women’s academic history. Ellen’s presence on the MIT faculty challenged assumptions about women’s roles in higher education and demonstrated that women could serve not just as students but as scientific authorities and mentors.