Mary Tiffen
Mary Tiffen ( Steele-Perkins; 16 July 1931 – 23 April 2020) was a British economic historian, scholar and development professional. She specialised in ancient irrigation systems and African drylands. Tiffen studied history at Girton College, Cambridge, and gained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the London School of Economics. In 1960, she married Brian Tiffen, who worked for the British Council. She carried out fieldwork in Africa and the Middle East; including in Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya, Senegal, Niger, and Iraq. From 1983 to 1994, she worked at the Overseas Development Institute in London.