Biologist, Writer, Ecologist. The youngest of three children, Rachel grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, where she credits her mother for instilling and nurturing a passion for nature. She graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania College for Women in 1929, and received her Masters in Marine Biology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932. After earning her degrees, she taught zoology at the University of Maryland, and then accepted a position with the US Bureau of Fisheries. Her initial position was as a writer for the radio show “Romance Under the Waters.” She became the first woman to pass the civil service test in 1936, and became a full time junior biologist for the Bureau, steadily earning promotions until she reached the position of chief editor of publications for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. During her years with the government, she began writing articles and books about marine life, and in 1952 resigned from her postion to devote herself to writing full time. Her works include “Under the Sea” (1941), “The Sea Around Us” (1952), “The Edge of the Sea” (1955), and her most notable work, “Silent Spring” (1962). “Silent Spring” was an indepth look at the environmental effects of longterm pesticide misuse. It was so controversial at the time of its publication, that the pesticide industry attempted to have it suppressed, challenging its findings and pulling advertising from television shows broadcasting its views. Due to the revelations in “Silent Spring,” President Kennedy initiated a committee to investigate the pesticide industry, and in 1963, Carson testified before Congress. Her work has been credited as the impetus behind the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and she has been called the “mother of the modern environmental movement.” (bio by: Anonymous)  Family links:  Parents:  Robert Warden Carson (1864 – 1935)  Maria McLean Carson (1869 – 1958)