Signe Schmidt-Nielsen

Signe Torborg Schmidt-Nielsen (née Sturtzen-Becker, 1 December 1878 – 1959) was a Swedish-Norwegian physicist and nutritionist.

Signe Schmidt-Nielsen
Schmidt-Nielsen in 1907
Born	Signe Torborg Sturtzen-Becker (1878-12-01)1 December 1878 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	1956(1956-00-00) (aged 77–78) Stockholm, Sweden
Burial place	Domkirkegården, Trondheim, Norway
Alma mater	Stockholm University
Occupation(s)	Physicist and nutritionist
Organization	Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
Spouse	Sigval Schmidt-Nielsen (m. 1907)
Children	4, including Knut Schmidt-Nielsen
Relatives	Oscar Patric Sturzen-Becker (paternal grandfather)

Family

Signe Torborg Sturtzen-Becker^[1] was born on 1 December 1878 in Stockholm. Her parents were Vilhelm Teodor Patrik Sturzen-Becker (1841–1910), the son of Swedish poet Oscar Patric Sturzen-Becker, and Astrid Sturzen-Becker (née Paykull, 1848–1908).^[2]

Sturtzen-Becker married chemist Sigval Schmidt-Nielsen [no, sv] in 1907 in Stockholm.^[3] They had four children,^[2] including the physiologist Knut Schmidt-Nielsen (1915–2007), who emigrated to America and worked at Duke University.^[4][5]

Career

Schmidt-Nielsen studied her PhD in physics at Stockholm University^[2] and was one of the first women in Sweden to receive a doctoral degree when she graduated in 1907.^[1][6] She was the also first woman to become a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.^[2]

Schmidt-Nielsen collaborated with her husband in natural sciemce research and publications,^[1][7][8] including into the rennet of calves^[9] and the vitamin content of herrings.^[10]

Death

Schmidt-Nielsen died in 1959 in Stockholm.^[1] She was buried at Domkirkegården [no], Trondheim, Norway.^{[citation needed]}