| Description |
Sound files ; digital, mp3 file |
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Transcript : (75 leaves) ; 29 cm. |
| Series |
Chemical Heritage Foundation Oral history transcript ; 0674.
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| Note |
Interview conducted by Hilary L. Domush at Boulder, Colorado. |
| Summary |
Marion C. Thurnauer attended the University of Chicago for her undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemistry, working with Gerhard Closs, her doctoral thesis advisor. She completed the final experiments for her thesis at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) because the required electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer at the University of Chicago was severely damaged by a chemical explosion that occurred in the University's chemistry building. Working at ANL, she believes, was probably a factor for her to secure a postdoctoral position in the ANL Chemistry Division (CHM) with James R. Norris and Joseph J. Katz, studying, primarily by EPR spectroscopy, photochemical energy conversion in natural photosynthesis. She was promoted to Assistant Chemist, a staff position, and was, for a few years, the only female staff scientist in CHM and rose to become the first woman CHM Director. Along the way she established "Science Careers in Search of Women," which ultimately led to the formulation and launching of the ANL Women in Science and Technology (WIST) program. As division director, Thurnauer once again was the only woman among her peers, i.e., division directors and ANL leadership. She had to choose frequently among competing goals and priorities and she had to maintain CHM's shrinking core funding while working with scientists to secure additional funding. In addition to all her administrative work, Thurnauer was able to continue to be involved with science mainly because her co-workers kept her informed and up to date on their results. As she reminisces, Thurnauer discusses the general state of women in science, but particularly at ANL. She stresses the importance of mentoring, reinforcing, and building networks for women; she talks about having her husband in her division; she explains e-mentoring and recommends it; and she names and describes the work of some of the women who have served as her role models. . |
| Cite As |
Marion C. Thurnauer interviewed by Hilary L. Domush at Boulder, Colorado. (Philadelphia : Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript 0674.) |
| Note |
Sound files Science History Institute. |
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Transcript Science History Institute. |
| Use |
Semi-restrictions on Access. Reproduction and use with permission. Chemical Heritage Foundation. |
| Biography |
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on 21 March 1945. Education: B.A., Chemistry, University of Chicago (1968), M.S., Chemistry, University of Chicago (1969), Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Chicago (1974). Employment: 1974- Argonne National Laboratory. |
| Note |
Part or all of this item has been digitized by Science History Institute. |
| Subject(s) |
Thurnauer, Marion C., -- Interviews.
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Argonne National Laboratory.
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Women chemists -- Biography.
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Women chemists -- Interviews.
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Women in science -- Biography.
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Women in science -- Interviews.
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| Genre |
Oral histories. lcgft
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Interviews. aat
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| Alternate Author |
Domush, Hilary, interviewer.
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Chemical Heritage Foundation.
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| Alternate Title |
Marion C. Thurnaueroral history interview. |
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