Virginia Harriett Kline

Virginia Harriett Kline (July 14, 1910 – February 5, 1959) was a geologist, stratigrapher, and librarian who was heavily focused on fieldwork.

Early life and education Virginia Kline was born in Coleman, Michigan, to father Ray Kline and mother Abbie Young Kline on July 14, 1910. She attended high school and college in Lansing, Michigan, and eventually received her Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State College in June 1931. Her undergraduate was completed at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and she obtained her master's degree in June 1933, followed by her Doctor of Philosophy degree in geology in June 1935 for her thesis entitled Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Silica Formation (Hamilton Age) of Southeastern Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in library sciences several years later in May 1942. In 1946, she became a member of the AAPG. This publication was an integral piece of literature illustrating the role that women played in geology and showed that science and specifically geology was still evolving during her time. This work also highlights the connection to the concept that science is an ongoing process of understanding knowledge that develops alongside new discoveries and ideas. Historically speaking, many amendments have been made in the name of science to fit newly available data, as illustrated by Ehlers' and Kline's work in correcting previous interpretations of strata, using Steno's rules of stratigraphy. The consequence of which revamps the fossil index of the area, which in turn dictates to companies that are invested in drilling a new approach in looking for areas to commit resources, but also challenging the established thoughts on the history of the area. As Kline's career continued she became heavily involved within the field of petroleum geology and more importantly stratigraphy and fossil indexing. In 1942, while working as an associate professor and geologist at the University of Mississippi, Kline conducted an extensive summary of the lithology and distribution of Geological formations within the state. Nearing the end of her time at the University of Mississippi, Kline co-authored another important publication on describing and illustrating microfossils, a topic that had only briefly been explored, showing again that science is an evolving process, created through the assimilation of new discoveries and existing understanding.

Contributions to science Earning a doctorate in earth sciences was a considerable accomplishment considering that between 1920 and 1970 women obtained less than 4 percent of all doctorates awarded in this field. Furthering the advancement of how women were perceived in geology, a majority of Kline's career was heavily focused on fieldwork, which was uncommon for women at the time where even women professors advocated against office or laboratory work.

Publications and professional works 'Revision of Alexander Winchell's Types of Brachiopods from the Middle Devonian Traverse Group of Rocks in Michigan', G.M. Ehlers and V. H. Kline, Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Vol. IV, No. 10, Jan. 15 1934 'Stratigraphy of North Dakota' - Bulletin of American Association of Petroleum and Geology, Vol. 26, No.3, pp 336–79, March 1942 'Clay County Fossils - Midway Foraminifera and Ostracoda', V. Kline, Mississippi Geological Survey Bulletin 53, Pt. 3, 1943 Series of annual reports (1944 - 1957) on oil and gas developments in Illinois Joint author with A. H. Bell printed in 'Transactions of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers', reprinted in the 'Illinois Petroleum Survey' for years 1944 - 1953 Co-author with A. H. Bell when Illinois Geological Survey issued its annual report on the oil and gas industry in Illinois in its bulletin series, 1954 - 1957 Principal author of monthly oil and gas drilling report, published by Illinois Geological Survey