Joan Murrell Owens

Joan Murrell Owens (born 30 June 1933) was a marine biologist. She may have been the first Black American to earn a PhD in marine geology. She found three new species of coral. She also found a group of button coral. She is known specifically for her specialty in button corals.

Early life

Growing up, Owens was greatly influenced by the works of Eugenie Clark and Jacques Cousteau. They increased her passion for the ocean and marine life. However, it was rare to see a woman marine biologist at the time. Also, Owens had sickle cell anemia, a sickness which made it hard for her to dive. Instead, she worked on a project with the Smithsonian Institution. She used existing button coral that were rediscovered from a British expedition in 1880. Owens taught English at Howard University, but she never gave up her dreams for marine biology. At age 51, she earned a PhD in marine geology at George Washington University. She began studying corals.

Career

In her research, Owens discovered three new species of coral and one new group of button coral. She was able to get a Master’s degree and a PhD in geology. She also continued the blueprints of the missing marine biologist Don Squires and published a hypothesis to why deep sea coral were able to move. A hypothesis is a theory that will be tested. She was the only woman in the geology department. Seeing a female scientist at the time was also rare.