Mildred Dresselhaus
- Born:
- November 11, 1930, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Died:
- February 20, 2017, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Physicist, Electrical Engineer, Professor
Early Life and Education
- Born Mildred Spiewak in Brooklyn, New York.
- Earned a bachelor's degree from Hunter College in 1951.
- Obtained a master's degree from Radcliffe College in 1953.
- Received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago in 1958, studying under Enrico Fermi.
Career and Major Achievements
- Joined Lincoln Laboratory at MIT in 1960.
- Became a professor at MIT in 1967.
- Achieved the rank of Institute Professor at MIT in 1985, one of MIT's highest honors.
- Made significant contributions to the study of carbon materials, including carbon fibers, graphite, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes.
- Served as Director of the Office of Science at the U.S. Department of Energy from 1997 to 2000.
- Advocated for women in science and engineering.
- Held leadership positions in numerous professional organizations, including the American Physical Society and the National Academy of Sciences.
Notable Works
- Authored and co-authored hundreds of scientific publications.
- Co-authored the book Solid State Physics.
Awards and Recognition
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| National Medal of Science | 1990 |
| Enrico Fermi Award | 2012 |
| Kavli Prize in Nanoscience | 2012 |
| IEEE Medal of Honor | 2015 |
Legacy and Impact
Mildred Dresselhaus, whose early life included the name Mildred Spiewak, was a highly influential figure in materials science and engineering. Her research on carbon materials has had a profound impact on nanotechnology and related fields. The "spiewak dresselhaus mildred biography" reveals her extensive contributions to the field, along with her advocacy for women in science, establishing her as a role model for generations of scientists and engineers.