Dorothy Atkinson

Dorothy Grace Atkinson (née Gillis; 5 August 1929 – 23 January 2016) was an American historian who specialized in Russian history. Personal life Atkinson was of Scottish and Italian ancestry. Her father was a labor union leader, while her mother was a homemaker. She had six brothers. Atkinson was the first in her family to attend college. Atkinson studied history at Barnard College and graduated in 1951. She and her husband, Stewart, then moved to California so Atkinson could obtain a graduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After obtaining the degree, Atkinson paused her career to raise two children. In 1971, she earned her Ph.D from Stanford University. Career Atkinson served as an assistant professor of Russian history at Stanford University from 1973 to 1982. One of her graduate students described Atkinson's teaching style as "engaged and engaging, demanding but kind (a rarity at Stanford at that time)". Another former student noted Atkinson's importance in breaking down barriers for young women in academia in the 1970s.