College trustee Sarah Elizabeth Whitin to establish the Whitin Observatory, of which Whiting became the first director. During her time at Wellesley, Whiting kept up to date on scientific developments and shared the knowledge with her students. She met with Thomas Edison and learned of his incandescent bulbs. She then gave a demonstration at Wellesley of these bulbs to the board of trustees in the hopes of getting them to invest in the new technology. Additionally, she traveled and attended classes at universities all over the world and connected with scientists. Tufts College bestowed an honorary doctorate on Whiting in 1905. Sarah Whiting was also known for supporting prohibition. Whiting retired from her position as a professor of physics at Wellesley in 1916, but remained as Director of the Whitin Observatory until 1916. She held the title of Professor Emeritus until her death in 1927 in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. She is buried in Machpelah Cemetery in Le Roy, New York, near her now-defunct alma mater, Ingham University. Writings Whiting wrote the textbook Daytime and evening exercises in astronomy, for schools and colleges. She was an author of several articles in popular astronomy, including: "Use of Graphs in Teaching Astronomy", "Use of Drawings in Orthographic Projection and of Globes in Teaching Astronomy", "Spectroscopic Work for Classes in Astronomy", "The Use of Photographs in Teaching Astronomy", "Partial Solar Eclipse, June 28, 1908", Solar Halos, "A Pedagogical Suggestion for Teachers of Astronomy", "Priceless Accessions to Whitin Observatory Wellesley College", "The Tulse Hill observatory diaries (abstract)", "The Tulse Hill observatory diaries", Whiting also wrote an obituary for Margaret Lindsay Huggins and reminiscences of William Thomson. She described her experiences in physics in the Wellesley College News article "The experiences of a woman physicist." Achievements Honors: 1883 Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1905 Honorary doctorate, Tufts College Tenures: 1876–1912 Professor of Physics, Wellesley College 1900–1916 Director, Whitin Observatory, Wellesley College 1916–1927 Professor Emeritus, Wellesley College Education: AB Ingham University 1865 References Further reading External links Brief biography of Sarah Whiting Sarah Frances Whiting: A foremother of American women physicists Women in Meteorology before World War II Sarah Frances Whiting, at Wellesley College Archives Sarah Frances Whiting at Women in Astronomy: A Comprehensive Bibliography 1847 births 1927 deaths American women astronomers American physicists Wellesley College faculty Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Whitin Observatory