Katharine Mather received her A.B. (1937) in Geology from Bryn Mawr College and was a doctoral student in Geology (1937-1940) at John Hopkins. She was employed as a research assistant (1939) at John Hopkins; research associate (1940-1941) at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History; and a geologist (1942-1982) for the Army Corps of Engineers at the Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi. There she served as the chief (1947-1976) of the petrography and x-ray branch in the Engineering and Science division of the Concrete Laboratory; chief (1976-1980) of the Engineering and Science division; and special technical assistant (1980-1982) in the Structures Laboratory. She received several recognitions of her work, including the Exceptional Service Award (1962); the Federal Woman's Award (1963); Distinguished Civilian Award (1964); and an award (1986) for her contributions to science from the Mississippi Academy of the Sciences. She is a fellow of the Mineral Society of America, the American Concrete Institute, the Clay Minerals Society, and Sigma Xi.

She also participated in the International Symposia on Chemistry Cement (1960-1986); co-authored Butterflies of Mississippi (1958); and was the editor (1960-1966) of the Journal of the Mississippi Academy of the Sciences. Katharine Mather married Bryant Mather, also a geologist with the Army Corps of Engineers in 1940 and she resided in Clinton, Mississippi with him until her death in 1991.

This collection (1942-1997) contains correspondence, memorandum, job descriptions, military records (from the Army Corps of Engineers), biographical information, award nominations, publications, and passports.

A number of these papers pertain to Mather's nomination and receipt of the Federal Woman's Award and the Department of Army Decoration for Exceptional Service and includes her applications and references. Of special interest in the collection is a memorandum dated 1966 that discusses Katharine Mather being supervised by her husband Bryant Mather, and how this should be an exception to nepotism rules. The remainder of the collection records Mather's committee and programming work with the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

Also included in the collection are Mather's passports documenting her extensive travel, publications concerning her research on butterflies in Mississippi, and a draft copy of her article "Petrographic Examination of Hardened Concrete."