Marie Louise Compernolle

Marie Louise Compernolle (1909–2005) was the first female Flemish chemical engineer.

Early life Marie Louise Compernolle was born on 17 September 1909 in Assebroek, Flanders in Belgium to Hector Compernolle (1879-1960) and Marguerite De Smet (1882-1949). Having been a successful student, Compernolle passed the university entrance examinations to study engineering and began her studies at Ghent University in 1929. (Hélène Mallebrancke earned a civil engineering degree in 1923/24).

Career Compernolle then planned to follow an academic career. Her application for the post of assistant in experimental physics to Professor Moens was turned down, with the feedback that as the country was in a period of economic crisis, priority was to be given to male rather than female applicants. A fifth daughter died at birth in 1951. and was buried at the Begraafplaats Afsnee in Ghent.