Mechtilde Dashwood shared an educational history with her older sister, Eleanor Dashwood, attending MIT for each of her degrees, although she chose to study theoretical astrophysics. A pioneer in string theory and the unification of quantum mechanics and relativity, Mechtilde was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2012.

In addition to a comprehensive set of professional and personal correspondence and writing, Mechtilde Dashwood’s papers contain hundreds of terabytes of raw data in digital form, the product of (ulitmately successful) attempts to test her theoretical insights.

Eleanor Dashwood

N. Eleanor Dashwood was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and began her distinguished career in molecular evolutionary biology after receiving three degrees from MIT. Dashwood’s research has centered on the molecular and biochemical underpinnings of mammalian evolution, including the higher order phylogeny of chordates and the patterns and processes of adaptation at the molecular level. She remains an active presence in the field and mentor to generations of scientists.

The Dashwood papers are a comprehensive record of research and writing of a leading figure in the evolutionary sciences.