Cheers to Millie Dresselhaus

Millie Dresselhaus is the 2007 North America Laureate of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Award "for her research on solid state materials, including conceptualizing the creation of carbon nanotubes."

That may not be a household name, but Millie Dresselhaus is a well-respected materials science professor at MIT with an impressive lifetime record of publication, education, invention, and service to science. She rose through the ranks at a time when women were extremely uncommon in professional science. In addition, she is married and has raised five children.

In her own words, from an article about her award:

"My motivation for a scientific career was my love for science," says Mildred Dresselhaus, who entered college thinking she would become a schoolteacher. That changed during her sophomore year when she took a class in modern physics taught by Rosalyn Yalow, who was later awarded a Nobel Prize for her work in medical physics. "My interest in the subject and encouragement from Professor Yalow resulted in my decision to follow a scientific career," she says.

"When I got my PhD, women represented 2% of the physics profession and now we are on the order of 20%. It used to be difficult for women to have the opportunity to do high level research. The barriers have come down to a large degree, but the playing field is still not quite level. Competition in our field has become more intense and this affects young women more than men in their early careers, when they are trying to start a family. The large demands of a significant research career in science impede women more than men."

What advice would Mildred Dresselhaus give to young women scientists? "A scientific career is extremely rewarding, and if I had to do it all over again I would follow the same course. The rewards are different at every stage. I still have the same fascination for science that I had when I was young."

Congratulations!! And thank you.