First Woman Oceanographer

The world’s first woman oceanographer was an Armenian by the name of Anita Conti (Garakoshian). She was born in Ermont (France) in 1899 to Istanbul-born parents who had fled the Ottoman Empire during the massacres of Armenians. She married Marcel Conti (an official at the Italian Embassy in Vienna) who supported his wife’s scientific ambitions. In 1935 she was the only woman on board Theodor Tissier oceanographic trip. A few years later she continued her explorations in the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. Among her projects was to find seeds and plants which could be turned into nutritious foods. In 1947 she worked with Jacque Cousteau. She continued her oceanic explorations until the age of 80 and throughout her career received rave reviews from major publications such as “Le Monde” and “Le Figaro”. She died in 1997 at the age of 99.

The world’s first woman oceanographer was an Armenian by the name of Anita Conti (Garakoshian). She was born in Ermont (France) in 1899 to Istanbul-born parents who had fled the Ottoman Empire during the massacres of Armenians. She married Marcel Conti (an official at the Italian Embassy in Vienna) who supported his wife’s scientific ambitions. In 1935 she was the only woman on board Theodor Tissier oceanographic trip. A few years later she continued her explorations in the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. Among her projects was to find seeds and plants which could be turned into nutritious foods. In 1947 she worked with Jacque Cousteau. She continued her oceanic explorations until the age of 80 and throughout her career received rave reviews from major publications such as “Le Monde” and “Le Figaro”. She died in 1997 at the age of 99.