Born: 1901, Canada (assumed)
Died: 1982
Country most active: Canada
Also known as: Rona Wallis
The following was written by Nina Baker and is excerpted from the book From Alchemy to Transport Phenomena: A Global History of Women in Chemical Engineering.
Rona Hatt (Mrs Wallis), BApplSc. (1901-1982) is generally considered as Canada’s first female Chemical Engineer, starting her studies at University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1917, graduating in applied sciences in 1922. As the first and only female student, her first 2 years were very tough. She had to catch up on the physics and workshop practice which she had not had at school, and had to join her male colleagues in learning how to shovel coal to run a boiler system. When the World War 1 veterans returned it was a bit easier for her and her experience helping them with their studies was a guide to her in later years as a chemistry teacher helping World War 2 veterans resume studies. On graduation she worked in the UBC Chemical Engineering Department for two years, but changed to a career in chemistry education after her marriage to Douglas Wallis, another chemical engineer, who graduated in 1924. In 2021 she was admitted to the UBC’s CHBE Hall of fame and the prestigious Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation (CEMF) Rona Hatt Engineering Ambassador Award also recognises her contribution.