Dr. Tipton joined the faculty of the university’s Department of Physics in 1948, where she served until her retirement in 1972. She was widely known for her research in Raman spectroscopy and trace metal in human tissue, which was used to determine safe levels of radioactivity in the body. Her research was funded by more than $500,000 in federal grants, and she published more than 35 scholarly articles.
In 1966 she was one of the first recipients of the Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award. In 1962 she coached the UT GE College Bowl team that won four nationally televised contests. She was a member of the Tennessee Academy of Science, serving as its secretary (1953–55) and president (1956–57). She was also vice president and president (1960) of the Southeastern Society for Applied Spectroscopy. She was a consultant with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 1950 until her retirement in 1972. In 1962 she was featured as being noteworthy in the field of physics in a booklet published by the American Institute for Physics, Rewarding Careers for Women in Physics. Her contributions to the intellectual life of the university have been recognized by placement of a plaque in her honor on a faculty study.