['< sod > alexander was born frances elizabeth somerville caldwell on 13 december 1908 in [ [ merton, surrey ] ]. < ref name = rigby / > her father, dr. k. s. caldwell, was professor of chemistry and principal at [ [ patna science college ] ] in india, < ref name = gopal / > where she spent her youth. { { sfn | orchiston | 2005 | p = 72 } } in 1918, alexander returned to the united kingdom and began [ [ secondary school ] ]. she went to [ [ newnham college, cambridge ] ] to study natural science, initially focusing on physics, < ref name = harris / > graduating with [ [ first - class honours ] ] in 1931, then completing a [ [ phd ] ] in [ [ geology ] ] for a thesis on [ [ aymestry limestone ] ]. < ref name = rigby / > { { sfn | orchiston | 2005 | p = 72 } } like all women graduates of cambridge university at that time, she could not become a full member of the university until after equal rights were granted post 1945. < ref name = museum / > < eod > < sod > alexander was born frances elizabeth somerville caldwell on 13 december 1908 in [ [ merton, surrey ] ]. < ref name = rigby / > her father, dr. k. s. caldwell, was professor of chemistry and principal at [ [ patna science college ] ] in india, < ref name = gopal / > { { dubious | patna science college did not exist during her early youth. } } where she spent her youth. { { sfn | orchiston | 2005 | p = 72 } } in 1918, alexander returned to the united kingdom and began [ [ secondary school ] ]. she went to [ [ newnham college, cambridge ] ] to study natural science, initially focusing on physics, < ref name = harris / > graduating with [ [ first - class honours ] ] in 1931, then completing a [ [ phd ] ] in [ [ geology ] ] for a thesis on [ [ aymestry limestone ] ]. < ref name = rigby / > { { sfn | orchiston | 2005 | p = 72 } } like all women graduates of cambridge university at that time, she still could not become a full member of the university until after equal rights were granted post 1945. < ref name = museum / > < eod >']