Helen L. Thomas

Helen L. Thomas
Born
Helen Meriwether Lewis

(1905-08-21)August 21, 1905
DiedAugust 6, 1997(1997-08-06) (aged 91)
Alma mater
Scientific career
InstitutionsHarvard College Observatory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Thesis The Early History of Variable Star Observing to the 19th Century
Doctoral advisor

Helen L. Thomas (August 21, 1905 – August 6, 1997, born Helen Meriwether Lewis) was an American astronomer and historian. During her career, she discovered the third identified recurrent nova system. She was the first woman, second American, and third person to earn a PhD degree in the History of Science from Harvard University. Later in her career, she served as the Head of Publications at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Laboratory of Electronics.