Helen Leighton Cannon (April 9, 1911 – October 20, 1996) was an American geologist specifying in geobotany and studying the effects of geological chemicals on the environment. She was a woman in science making large contributions to geology and advancements for women in science. She had a long lasting career at the United States Geological Survey in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado soon becoming well known for her research and important discoveries. Cannon, along with two colleagues at USGS, set up and participated in the first organized unit studying chemicals in the real environment. The team concluded that by analyzing plants in a given area they could determine what metals were present in the soil and earth in that same area. In 1952, Cannon published a paper based on the findings